The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is in court seeking recovery of 100 acres of Chale Island in Kwale County valued at Ksh1 billion, believed to have been grabbed by private persons in collusion with Kwale land officials.
In its court submissions, EACC said the Island is a government land gazetted as a Marine Reserve and Sacred Groove but was illegally subdivided and transferred to private persons.
Among those allegedly involved in grabbing the land include Swahili Beach Resorts Limited, Kwale District Land Registrar, Manmohan Kaur Kalsi, Hashim Got Sat, Settlement Fund Trustee, David Ndirangu Mwangi, Mohamed Omari Mbogah, Mohamed Hamisi Mwasengeza and Halima Mohamed.
Justice Addraya Dena of the Kwale Environment and Land Court granted orders sought by EACC prohibiting the defendants from wasting, transferring, felling trees or charging the land pending a hearing and determination of the case.
The hearing of the case is set for four days from September 26 to 29, 2022.
Kinondo Chale Settlement Scheme
EACC faulted the Kwale District Registrar for acting in a fraudulent manner and committing various illegalities by transferring the land to private entities and individuals.
The registrar was accused of taking advantage of a legitimate government intention to settle squatters in the Kinondo Chale Settlement Scheme by hiving off a portion of land reserved for use as a public utility and irregularly transferring the same to private persons.
The island was purportedly reserved for the settlement of squatters as an extension of the Kinondo Chale Settlement Scheme, where its members had already been settled on the mainland.
EACC is seeking to have all titles held by the defendants declared invalid, null and void and the land reverted to the government for public benefit.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the National Museums of Kenya have been listed as interested parties in the suits.
