Squatters in Uasin Gishu County stormed the land associated with the later former Nominated Member of Parliament Mark Too’s family on the morning of Saturday, November 19.
The group had gone to lay claim on the land after winning a case filed by the family at the Kisumu Court of Appeal.
The group was, however, blocked from accessing the 25,000-acre parcel of land after a battalion of anti-riot police officers were deployed to bar them.
The officers led by Commander Uasin Gishu Zacchaeus Ng’eno argued that they would not allow the squatters on the property since they were yet to receive a valid court order.
The Commander further argued that the role of the police was to maintain peace and save the property regardless of its owner.
“Our aim here is to protect the property whether it belongs to the plaintiff or applicant. Our aim here is to ensure that there is peace,” stated Ng’eno.
The squatters won the case in the second round after beating the Mark Too’s family at the Eldoret Law Courts.
At the time, the judge ruled that Too and several others had illegally registered the land in their names and only awarded them 66 acres.
In the Kisumu appeal, the Court of Appeal reversed the 66-acre awarded to the Too family among others and gave the entire parcel to the squatters.
When the individuals arrived to repossess their land, however, they were barred by Police leading them to question the family’s intention.
“What we don’t get is why would the police be involved in a land matter of this nature. Why would someone call in police after losing in the court of law.
“You lose round one and you call the police. You lose round two and call police. Don’t we have a rule of law in this country? Why can’t that litigant move to another court,” lamented one of the beneficiaries.
Another beneficiary maintained that the team had won the appeals and assumed legal ownership of the land.
“There were three appeals at the Court of Appeal. They were heard, consolidated and a decision was rendered yesterday dismissing the said three appeals,” explained another.
The tussle over the parcel’s ownership has been a source of legal battles for years.
Too was a powerful KANU politician who also served as an Assistant Minister for State in the late President Daniel Moi’s government.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE