In a ruling seen as long-overdue justice for claimants in Murang’a County, the Environment and Land Court has dealt a blow to Kakuzi PLC, opening the door for the return of 3,200 acres of ancestral land in Makuyu to members of the Kakuzi Division Development Association (KDDA).
The National Land Commission, on November 14, 2025, published its final recommendations on a historical land injustice claim filed by KDDA. The group has been pushing for the return of land taken during the colonial period and later allocated to Kakuzi PLC.
In its findings, the commission directed the company to surrender 3,200 acres in Makuyu, Murang’a, to KDDA and three other claimant groups for resettlement.
In today’s decision, Justice Maxwell Gicheru lifted interim orders that had temporarily protected Kakuzi’s land, effectively allowing the process of subdividing and allocating the land to proceed.
Although Kakuzi PLC has been allowed to appeal at the Court of Appeal, the judge declined to issue fresh orders that would halt the process, clearing the way for restitution efforts to move forward after years of dispute.
