The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating 41 land registrars linked to widespread corruption in Kenya’s Ministry of Lands.
Among those mentioned is a notorious Survey of Kenya officer implicated in shady land transactions.
The registrars are accused of tax evasion, double allocation of land, and the illegal transfer of private property.
These fraudulent activities not only undermine land ownership but also fuel a corrupt network that continues to prey on Kenyans seeking legitimate ownership of their land.
The EACC’s investigation paints a damning picture of corruption in the ministry, with one official from the majority tribe in government and several other officials named the largest beneficiaries of the illicit schemes.
The probe reveals a disturbing pattern of fraudulent land deals involving forgery, bribery, and the manipulation of land records to evade taxes.
Prominent names have surfaced in the investigations cutting across Nairobi, Eldoret and others towns across the country.
These individuals are accused of manipulating the land registration process, accumulating unexplained wealth, and contributing to a corrupt cartel operating with impunity.
The Ministry of Lands has long blamed “corrupt cartels” for systemic failures, including the disappearance of 367 title deeds, which remain untraceable, according to a gazette notice dated September 26, 2024. The theft of these documents highlights the depth of the rot within the Ministry.
Of particular concern is the concentration of land registrars from specific communities, particularly the Kisiis and Kikuyus, in Kenya’s 47 counties. This demographic imbalance has raised concerns about the potential ethnic biases within the Ministry, further complicating the already murky waters of land administration in the country.
The EACC’s investigation is not just about exposing individual wrongdoers but also underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect Kenya’s land ownership system.
With the Ministry of Lands riddled with corruption, the integrity of land records—and by extension, the country’s economic stability—is at stake.
Despite the push to weed out the vices, Kenya faces a critical moment to address the deep-rooted corruption that has plagued its land administration system, as authorities vow to crack down on the corrupt networks that have flourished for years.
