The Environment and Land Court has delivered a landmark ruling ordering the restitution of 3,200 acres of ancestral land in Makuyu, dealing a major setback to Kakuzi PLC and offering long-awaited relief to affected communities.
In a decisive judgment, Justice Maxwell Gicheru set aside interim orders that had previously shielded Kakuzi PLC from surrendering the contested land.
The decision clears the way for the subdivision and allocation of the land to members of the Kakuzi Division Development Association (KDDA) and other claimants.
The ruling is expected to fast-track the resettlement of families who have pursued the matter for years, seeking redress over land dispossession dating back to the colonial period.
The judgment reinforces findings by the National Land Commission, which on November 14, 2025, formally gazetted its recommendations on the historical land injustice claim.
The commission directed Kakuzi PLC to cede 3,200 acres from its Makuyu estate to KDDA and three other claimant groups. The land had originally been taken during colonial rule and allocated to the company, leaving local communities displaced.
Although Kakuzi PLC has been granted leave to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal, the court declined to issue further injunctions that would halt the implementation of the ruling.
This means the restitution process will proceed despite the pending appeal, a move widely seen as critical in preventing further delays in delivering justice to the affected communities.
The ruling marks a significant step in addressing historical land injustices in Kenya, particularly those rooted in colonial-era dispossession. For KDDA claimants, the judgment represents a breakthrough in their long struggle for recognition, restitution, and resettlement.
Attention now shifts to the implementation phase, including land subdivision and allocation, as well as the outcome of Kakuzi PLC’s intended appeal.
