Over 2,500 Acres of Prison Land in Trans Nzoia Grabbed by Squatters – Report
A new security report by the Ministry of Interior has revealed that more than 2,500 acres of land belonging to Prisons in Trans Nzoia County have been grabbed by squatters. Out of the 3,000 acres owned by the institution, only 283 acres remain.
According to the Jukwaa La Usalama report, land encroachment in Trans Nzoia is so severe that several public institutions are at risk of being left landless.
“The encroachment of public land is more prevalent in Trans Nzoia County where isntitutions are almost being left landless because of encroachment by squatters and land grabbing,” the report reads.
KEPHIS has also suffered similar losses, with its land reducing from 267 acres to just 33 acres.
The report further shows that the 4,000-acre ADC Japata farm has been invaded, disrupting operations and leading to repeated cases of squatters harvesting maize illegally. Museum land, the site of the county headquarters, and several police stations are also claimed by private individuals.
The problem is not limited to Trans Nzoia. The government is helping ACK and Egerton University reclaim land occupied by illegal squatters in Eldoret and Ngongongeri. Although courts have confirmed ownership, squatters have defied eviction orders, sometimes violently.
In Narok, the local prison is trying to reclaim 12 acres taken over by private developers. The report warns that land encroachment affecting key public institutions threatens service delivery and poses serious security risks.
“Further, intelligence assesments point to a potential escalation of land-related conflicts in Narok County, where sections of the Maasai youth are reportedly regrouping with intentions to forcibly reclaim parcels of land previously sold to non-locals at undervalued prices,”
The report also highlights rising involvement of criminal groups.
In Machakos, gangs such as Mungiki and Gaza are being used to invade land and control mining sites. In Kilifi and Mombasa, groups like Team Mashamba and Mawoza reportedly aid land grabbers.
Intelligence assessments warn of potential land-related conflict in Narok County, where sections of Maasai youth are said to be regrouping to forcibly reclaim land previously sold to non-locals at low prices. The report also links a powerful politician to inciting land grabbing in Trans Mara South.
A longstanding dispute between Del Monte and local residents in Murang’a—where some locals harvest pineapples and cut trees illegally—also remains a major concern and could hurt Kenya’s investment image.
The government now says it will prioritize enforcing court orders, coordinating humane evictions and resettlement, and providing security for fresh surveying and boundary marking by relevant agencies.