Swazuri tours disputed 2,000 acres Ben-Moi farm in Eldoret

National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri has said all people with land disputes must obey court orders.

He referred to the violence on Friday in which one person was killed, 50 houses torched and equipment worth 15 million destroyed in a land dispute.

“We all have to respect court orders. We should not use violence to get what we want,” he said. Swazuri spoke at the disputed 2,000-acre Ben- Moi farm in Uasin Gishu on Sunday.

The squatters claiming ownership of the land attacked police who were enforcing a court order to evict them.

They say they have lived on the land since 1948. A police officer was injured in the melee. A court ruled the squatters have no legitimate claim on the land.

More than 300 families claim part of the land belonging to Kiptoo Kibogy. The land case has been in court since 1991.

“My father bought and the land and there is no way it can be given out to people who have no ownership right,” Kiptoo said.

He said the court has always ruled in favour of the family but the squatters refuse to obey court orders.

“If one party is not satisfied with the ruling, the only way out is to challenge it through an appeal and not violence and destruction of property,” Swazuri said. He said the NLC will investigate and decide.