Tension ran high in Nairobi’s leafy Karen suburb on Friday morning when a group of angry residents from Ngong, Kajiado County, stormed the residence of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Their mission was clear: demand his intervention in what they allege is a massive land-grabbing scheme involving 2,000 acres of prime property in Kibiku, Ngong.
The protesters, who camped outside Raila’s gate, accused powerful government officials of orchestrating the takeover of land valued at more than Ksh2 billion. They claimed the scheme was executed with the assistance of officials from the Ministry of Lands.
With placards and twigs in hand, the locals vented their frustration, calling out Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei for allegedly turning a blind eye to the scandal. Some messages on the placards were blunt: “Korir Must Go!”, “Baba Help Us”, and “Justice for the Maasai Community.”
The demonstrators went further, demanding the immediate resignation of PS Korir. They also pointed fingers at Kajiado West MP George Sunkuyia, accusing him of orchestrating the forceful takeover of land they insist rightfully belongs to them through ancestral inheritance.
By the time of publication, Raila Odinga had not publicly responded to the protesters’ demands, leaving the crowd camped outside his gate in suspense.
The protest comes just days after Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku promised to safeguard Maasai community land rights. Addressing residents on Wednesday, September 24, he urged calm, reminding them that the contested title deed was still under review at the Court of Appeal.
“We have pursued this matter for years, and the court already ordered the surrender of the title deed. I do not see how the government can grab your land while the case is still alive in court,” Governor Lenku reassured.
For now, however, the land battle remains unresolved — and all eyes are on Raila Odinga to see whether he will break his silence on one of the most contentious land disputes in recent memory.
