High Court stops gov't plan to sub-divide Kenyatta University land

The High court has issued orders barring any sub-division or interference with ownership of the Kenyatta University land that has been at the centre of a spat between the institution's management and State House.

Environment and Land Court judge Oscar Angote issued the orders on Friday pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya against the National Land Commission, Lands CS and six others.

"THAT pending the hearing and determination of this Application inter parties, this Honourable Court be pleased to issue orders restraining all the Respondents their agents, successors and assigns and or issuing an order staying the implementation of the directives contained in the letters dated 4th July 2022 and 7th July 2022 and or subdividing, annexing, alienating, and or any interference with the ownership and possession of the parcel of land known as Land Reference No. 11026/2," reads part of the court order.

Justice Angote further barred the government from harassing any employee, officials, agents and or representative of Kenyatta University in the enforcement of the directives involving the land in question.

The court has also issued orders preventing professor Shem Migot Adholla from surrendering the title of the said parcel of land.

Through lawyer Ahmednasiir Abdullahi, the lawyers' body blamed the Kenyatta University council and the Attorney General for not conducting public participation in the land issue.

Ahmednassir submits that LSK will show that actions by Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua have been used for purposes of concealing illegalities and further to profit and benefit corrupt individuals at the expense of the university contrary to the law and public policy.

The matter has been scheduled for inter partes hearing on July 25, 2022.

The Kenyatta University management has been embroiled in a dispute with the government over the utilization of a 338-acre piece of land adjacent to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRH). The feud saw the institution's vice chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina sacked and a new council appointed to lead the university.

Prof. Wainaina recently revealed that he was pushed packing for failing to cede the title deed for land to the State following a Cabinet decision to sub-divide the land.

According to Prof. Wainaina, 30 acres of land were set aside by the Cabinet for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to establish a Ksh.600 million hub on the grounds adjacent to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRH) while 10 acres were to be allocated to the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Cabinet likewise allotted 108 acres to KUTRH while 190 acres were reserved to settle squatters from Kamae settlement scheme.