Nairobi — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is seeking to recover two parcels of grabbed public land valued at Sh1.3 billion in Naivasha.

According to the anti-graft agency, the two parcels had been reserved and set aside by the Government for use as a Government Stock farm.

The two parcels of land under Naivasha Municipality Block 5/289 which is 41.08 Ha is valued at Sh1.2 billion, while the second one under Block 5/291 which is 11.82 Ha is valued at Sh100 million.

"The land was irregularly and fraudulently allocated by former Commissioner of lands Wilson Gachanja to private entities namely Pineapples Edge Limited and Trojan Nominees Limited, "Court documents read in part.

Suits to recover the two parcels are active before two separate Environment and Land Courts in Nakuru having been filed on June 30, 2022, and July 1 2022 respectively.

In each case, the anti-graft agency says the Judge has since issued injunction orders sought by EACC prohibiting the Defendants from dealing with the land in any way except by way of surrender to the Government of Kenya.

According to EACC, this is not the first-time agency is recovering public land grabbed from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).

On April 4 last year, EACC handed over to the Government 39 title deeds for parcels of land corruptly acquired from various public entities, including a parcel of land valued at approximately Sh 2 billion belonging to the same KALRO in Naivasha.

While recovering allegedly stolen assets, EACC argues that it has established that in nearly all cases, the fraudulent acquisition was orchestrated through collusion between private persons and land officials.

"For instance, former Commissioners of Land Sammy Mwaita and Wilson Gachanja are conspicuously featuring in most Court Judgements nullifying title deeds to public land that were illegally issued to private persons," EACC said.