The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) moved to court seeking to recover a piece of grabbed land in Eldoret.

In a case filed in court, the commission said the prime public land valued at Sh200 million is located in the heart of Eldoret Central Business District.

The parcels of land known as Eldoret Municipality Block 7/210 and Block 7/248, measure a total of 3.44 acres.

According to the court papers, the commission argued that the two pieces of land were originally reserved for government housing before they were allegedly fraudulently and illegally alienated for the benefit of former Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration and National Security Wilfred Kitur Kimalat and Endo Holdings Limited, a company associated with the late Ishmael Chelang’a.

According to EACC, at the time Mr Chelang’a served in senior public roles, including that of Provincial Commissioner for Rift Valley Province.

Mr Wilson Gacanja, the then Commissioner of Lands, has also been named in the suit for breach of his statutory and fiduciary duties.

EACC contends that the land where two government houses still stands; house numbers ELD/HOU/MG/42 and ELD/HOU/MG/43 was not available for allocation as the same had been reserved and in use for public purposes.

The commission argues that its investigations established that the two houses are still under the management of the State Department of Housing and Urban Development and therefore remains public property.

“EACC is seeking declarations that the leases issued by the Commissioner of Lands and subsequent transfers are null and void, cancellation of all related land registrations, a permanent injunction preventing further dealings with the land, and an order to register the land in trust for the State Department of Housing and Urban Development,” read part of the petition.

This case, the commission said underscores its continued commitment to the protection and recovery of public assets.

Lands and Environment Judge Washe has certified the injunction application as urgent and scheduled it for hearing on July 23, 2025.

Last year, the commission recovered Sh3.2 billion prime public property which had been grabbed by powerful individuals within the town.

EACC said the prime land was grabbed by powerful land grabbers working in cahoots with some government officials.

Judiciary houses hosting a judge and other judicial officers near the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) Eldoret, Administration Police (AP) line, Uasin Gishu District hospital, County Assembly (the construction site of the proposed new chambers) and fire station were among the property recovered.