Hundreds of squatters living on the troubled Chepchoina Phase III Settlement Scheme in Trans Nzoia are demanding that the government expedites a new land allocation process after the Court revoked an earlier fraudulent settlement process in 2023.
This comes after years of a long-standing court battle over the distribution of the vast land given out by the late President Daniel Moi to resettle squatters in Trans Nzoia County.
Speaking at Naupong, the squatters urged the government, through the Ministry of Lands, to act swiftly to alleviate the suffering of legitimate beneficiaries currently living in deplorable conditions.
Led by Isaiah Ruto Maria Lopele and William Lopetakou, the residents said hundreds of families from different communities who were targeted in the settlement exercises were locked out, adding that the Court pronouncement on the matter is a reprieve to the troubled families.
Speaking during a thanksgiving ceremony after the Court judgment, the squatters praised the Court decision to revoke the earlier settlement process, which they say was marred by corruption and irregularities in the creation of the list of beneficiaries.
Mr. Lopetakou welcomed the Court decision so that many of the families who were locked out of the process can now get justice and be allocated land.
Yvonne Jeruto, an Advocate of the High Court representing the squatters, observed that the Court directions give a critical precedence on cases regarding land rights.
She noted that the court judgment has provided an opportunity for a fair distribution of land to legitimate and verified squatters who should benefit from the settlement scheme.
The squatters called for peaceful coexistence among communities living in the area as they asked the government to revoke all illegal allotment letters issued to non-existent beneficiaries.
The squatters have accused some Ministry of Lands officials of colluding with cartels to illegally take their land, leading to imminent eviction threats.
They are calling for investigations into senior government officers involved in the illegal allocation of land in Chepchoina Settlement Scheme, alleging that corrupt officials had awarded land to cronies and cartels in exchange for bribes.
The Kitale Environment and Land Court on June 18, gave a landmark ruling that could see hundreds of homeless families benefit from the over 3000 acres’ government land.
Kitale ELC Judge Justice Christopher Nzili granted Certiorari, Mandamus and Prohibition orders after the Court found the earlier land settlement process clouded with grave procedural and substantive irregularities in the land settlement process.
Through a Judicial review application, No ELCJRE005/2024 filed in 2024, the distressed residents sought orders from the Court to stop land allocation at the phase three settlement scheme that had been marred by corruption and irregularities.
In the petition filed by Y.Jeruto and Company Advocates on behalf of Wilson Loshakep Chumel representing the Chepchoina Phase III community, the squatters challenged a series of actions by various government entities including the National Land Commission, the County Land Adjudicator Trans Nzoia County, the Director of Land Adjudication and Settlement Scheme who they argued oversaw an illegal land settlement process.
During the Judgement, the Court admitted that the Judicial review application highlighted several compelling reasons ,including an unlawful Vetting Committee at the settlement scheme phase three that did not adhere to Section 134 of the Land Act No. 6 of 2012 and Section 33(1) of the Land Regulations 2017.
