Kanyotu Sh10billion land war: Buyers seek state protection as goons invade Ruiru estate

Buyers of a prime 500-acre Imani Estate in Ruiru, Kiambu County  valued at about Sh10 billion and formerly associated with the late security intelligence boss James Kanyotu have appealed to the government to protect them from alleged harassment by armed goons who have invaded the property.

Kanyotu was the head of the defunct Special Branch, currently the national spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The residents, who have occupied the estate along the Ruiru-Githunguri road since 2014, accuse local security officials of failing to intervene despite repeated reports of alleged trespass and the excavation of soil and murram from land reserved for public utilities.

The latest confrontation has heightened tensions in the estate, which is now home to more than 1,000 families, amid a long-running legal dispute over the ownership and sale of the property.

The residents claim that the alleged invaders have been digging up portions of land set aside for a school, health facility and police station, effectively turning the public utility area into a quarry.

The aggrieved plot owners say they have been forced to take matters into their own hands to protect the estate, including filling trenches allegedly dug by the invaders to block access roads.

They said they later chased away people who were still excavating soil from the nearby public utility land.

“We are living in fear because the police seem to be siding with the people harassing us. Our pleas to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears and the aggressors are acting with impunity,” said resident Phelomena Nyambura.

Court battle

The residents, through their environment committee chairman Patrick Ngumo and legal secretary Mike Kamau, said they purchased their plots and began settling on the land in 2014 after acquiring what they described as the requisite ownership documents.

But the peace of the estate was disrupted last year when a group went to court and obtained an order challenging the sale of the property.

According to the residents, the challengers argued that the land had been undervalued and sought orders that would effectively pave the way for its repossession.

Ngumo said the turning point came on July 24, 2025, when the residents were served with a court order issued by a High Court judge in Meru that nullified the sale of the Kanyotu property.

The residents questioned the jurisdictional basis for the proceedings, given that the disputed land is situated in Ruiru, Kiambu County.

“We find it strange and questionable why a court in Meru should issue an order in regard to land located in Ruiru, Kiambu County. One would think we don’t have competent courts around here,” Ngumo said.

The residents, however, moved to the Court of Appeal, where they obtained orders staying the effect of the earlier decision pending determination of the appeal.

The stay order was issued on February 6, 2026, by Court of Appeal judges S. Gatembu Kairu, Lady Justice M. Ngugi and Justice A. O. Muchelule.

The order states in part:“It is ordered that the application contained in the motions dated July 24 and 28, 2025 are allowed until the appeal is heard and determined.”

The judges further directed:

“The 1st and 4th respondents or those under them shall not evict the applicant, 3rd respondent and interested parties from the suit property or any of its subdivisions, or in any way interfere with their peaceful occupation.”

Residents cite court protection

Ngumo said the Court of Appeal orders had given the residents temporary legal protection and that no party should therefore interfere with their occupation of the property or attempt to evict them before the appeal is determined.

He said the residents were now concerned that individuals were allegedly exploiting the unresolved dispute to interfere with the estate and public utility land.

“We have our ownership documents and nobody should disturb our peace,” Ngumo said.

Kamau said the residents would continue defending their property and called on security agencies to intervene before the dispute escalates.

He accused the police of failing to take action despite complaints lodged at the local police station over the alleged invasion and excavation of soil.

The residents said the situation was particularly worrying because some of the land being excavated had been reserved for essential public facilities.

Kamau said the area designated for a school, health facility and police station was allegedly being stripped of soil and murram, raising concerns over the future of public amenities planned for the rapidly growing estate.

Fresh tensions

The dispute has placed more than 1,000 households in an increasingly tense situation, with residents fearing that continued interference with the property could undermine their occupation despite the orders issued by the Court of Appeal.

The residents are now appealing to the government and security agencies to enforce the existing court orders, safeguard access roads and stop any further excavation or alleged interference with the disputed portions of land.

They also want authorities to investigate the alleged activities on the public utility land and establish who authorised the excavation of soil and murram.