NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully recovered a 17-acre parcel of land within Karura Forest valued at Sh2.8 billion, ending an 18-year legal battle over one of Nairobi’s most contested pieces of public property.
Led by CEO Abdi A. Mohamud, the EACC team visited the forest on Monday to formally hand over the recovered land to the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC).
The delegation was received by Beatrice Mbula, the Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, alongside senior KFS officials.
The prime land — LR Nairobi Block 91/386, measuring 7.11 hectares — was fraudulently grabbed in 1997 by private brokers who later sold it to unsuspecting investors. The investors moved to court in 2007 after discovering the land was public property belonging to the government through KFS and KTTC.
Following a recent High Court ruling, the EACC confirmed that 16 acres will revert to the Kenya Forest Service, while the remaining one acre will return to KTTC.
“The recovery of this land is a clear demonstration of our unwavering commitment to protect public assets and ensure that government property illegally acquired is restored to its rightful owners,” said Mr. Mohamud.
The recovery is part of EACC’s broader campaign to reclaim public land grabbed from critical national reserves and institutions. KFS officials hailed the move as a landmark victory for environmental conservation, noting that Karura Forest remains a vital green lung for Nairobi residents.
“This action sends a strong message that encroachment on forest land will not be tolerated,” said Ms. Mbula, praising EACC for its persistence in pursuing the matter.
Other senior officers present included Evans Kegode, Manager of Forest Survey and Information Management, and Deputy Commandant Wilson Leboo, who pledged continued collaboration with EACC to safeguard forest reserves across the country.
The EACC has intensified its efforts to recover illegally acquired public assets, particularly those tied to environmental conservation, schools, and public institutions, in line with its constitutional mandate to combat corruption and economic crimes.
