Court dismisses Ndibithi Farmers' suit in dispute over Naivasha land

Naivasha Principal Magistrate Eunice Kelly noted that the court did not have jurisdiction on the suit as ownership of the disputed property was already determined by the High Court in 2023.

This comes a couple weeks after several youths including top officials of the company were arrested for invading over 5,000 acres and destroying property worth millions of shillings.

Last week one of the directors of the company Edward Maina and an accomplice Reuben Gitau were arrested for incitement, destruction of property and fraud.

The two who have been charged in court and are being held in Naivasha police station have been accused of being the masterminds behind the invasion of the private farms.

Following the ruling, members of the Mwana Mwireri land company which lays claim on the land thanked the court saying that they legally bought the 343 acres from ADC in 1998 and settled all the dues.

According to one of the members Patrick Kimani, of the total 2,500 members of the company, only 157 managed to buy the land from the government agency.

He added that they managed to get allotment letters and some started farming before some leaders started inciting area residents leading to invasion of their land and eviction.

Kimani said that they had won all the court cases against the splinter group which did not have any ownership documents as they were alleging.

This was echoed by Reverend Willie Ndung’u who blamed the impasse and tension in the area to the incitement and by a group that was hoodwinking members of the public.

Another member Hellen Nyambura said that they were ready to start farming or leasing the land despite threats and intimidation from members of the splinter group.