There is controversy surrounding ownership of the expansive Kangaita Coffee Estate in Kirinyaga after a public outcry by land purchasers associated with the late head of state security James Kanyotu against fake deals.
The purchasers, brought together in the Kangaita Coffee Estate Buyers Welfare Group, cautioned the public against individuals and groups presenting themselves as offering parts of the disputed land. They alleged that a portion of the estate is being subdivided and sold illegally without informing genuine shareholders and genuine purchasers who bought legitimate interests in the property many years earlier.
Speaking during a press conference, the group’s spokesperson reaffirmed that the land is still pending judicial processes, such as succession cases, and therefore not for sale. He advised unsuspecting Kenyans against falling victim to conmen who are using counterfeit documents to lure buyers into purchasing plots from the estate.
Such buyers risk losing their funds since the land remains in contention. Only serious buyers with documents will be legitimate owners once the court process is complete, he clarified.
The team also urged government agencies, primarily the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission, to intervene and stop the illegal transactions. They also called on law enforcement authorities to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the fraudulent transactions.
The late James Kanyotu, Kenya’s first head of intelligence, left vast tracts of land, including Kangaita Coffee Estate, which has been in the middle of long battles between heirs, investors, and third-party claimants. The investors now insist they are determined to protect their investments and let justice prevail in the ongoing wrangles.
By tuko