Court orders 5,000 evicted from disputed Uasin Gishu farm

About 5,000 residents of a disputed 909-acre farm in Ziwa face eviction after surveyors demarcated the land following an Eldoret court's eviction order.

The surveyors went to Nyalilbei farm on Monday to survey and subdivide the land under tight security from Moi’s Bridge police as instructed by the court.

About 250 families are affected and many people demonstrated against the eviction. Many say they have valid title deeds and refuse to move.

The land dispute has lasted in court for almost 20 years since 1993.

The initial vacate order was issued on March 16.

Court documents indicate the land belongs Kachero Ole Makala who bought it from white settlers in 1965.

An order signed by the Eldoret High Court Deputy Registrar on January 29 this year instructed police from Moi's Bridge to guard surveyors from angry residents.

Among those set to be evicted is Uasin Gishu assembly Speaker David Kiplagat who argued the court orders were fraudulent. He said he will stay and has a valid title deed.

“We are not moving from the land where we have lived  since it was subdivided in 1990 and genuine land title deeds issued to 250 families. We cannot be evicted from our personal property," the speaker said.

He said the orders should have been served on George Kipteng, now deceased, who was the initial owner of part of the land and sold it to them.

Ole Makala’s son, David Soit, disputed the residents' claims. He said 606 acres rightfully belonged to his elderly father.

"It is time we reclaim the land that was unlawfully invaded by the locals who hold fake title deeds." he said

Soit said the court made its ruling and emphasised the family will not retreat in his quest to take back its land.

Residents protested the execution of the court order and setting up  beacons on the land. They said the land belonged to their fathers and they have lived on it for decades.

Soy MP Caleb Kositany said the government was trying to rob people of land using the police.

“Police officers stormed the land early in the morning when people were still asleep, indicating something fishy,” he said.

(Edited by V. Graham)