EACC moves to block dealings on disputed Agricultural Finance Corporation land in Kimilili

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations into the suspected irregular and fraudulent acquisition of government land in Kimilili, raising fresh concerns over the continued loss of public property to private developers.

In a letter to the Bungoma County Land Registrar, the commission, through its Western Regional Office, said the parcels in question were originally set aside by the government for public use under the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).

However, investigators believe the land may have been corruptly and fraudulently transferred into private ownership.

The State agency has now moved to secure the properties to prevent any transactions that could interfere with the probe.

“The commission notes that any further dealings with the subject land parcels may compromise the ongoing investigations. In this regard, it is necessary that the property be preserved during the intervening period,” EACC said in the letter.

The commission, hence, formally requested the Bungoma land registry to urgently impose restrictions on all transactions involving the parcels until the investigations are concluded.

In a separate letter, the anti-graft body requested the land registry to furnish it with various documents in relation to the land, including title deed/certificate of lease, official certificate of search, parcel file/deed file, green/white cards, as well as sale agreements.

Kimilili Community Land Users Association leaders Rajab Nalianya and Mike Ochieng welcomed the move, saying the residents had complained that private developers invaded and grabbed the 1.2-acre piece of land belonging to AFC.

They said the alleged grabbers were undertaking commercial development, including the construction of a petrol station, and had blocked public access to Kimilili Police Station.

The residents had previously filed a case at the Kimilili Law Courts seeking to have the private developers evicted and the land returned to the government.

On February 5, 2026, Kimilili Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Ndururi granted orders sought by EACC, allowing the commission to join the recovery case filed by the community.

In its submissions, EACC informed the court that it was investigating how the private developers acquired the government land, and that it had written to the land registrar restricting any further dealings on the property.