The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered a piece of public land worth over Ksh.400 million in Nairobi’s Loresho area.

The 4.9-acre parcel of land known as Nairobi Block 90/229 forms part of the Loresho Water Reservoir that was illegally subdivided and allocated to private persons.

The Environment and Land Court, in a judgment delivered on May 19, 2025, declared the subdivisions of the land null and void, stating that the property had been set aside for public utility use and earmarked for water infrastructure, including a reservoir, water tanks, staff housing, and other installations.

Court documents show that the land was subdivided into several parcels in 1995. Three of these—Block 90/584, 90/585, and 90/586—were allocated to Mitema Holdings, Maywood Ltd, and Nova Construction Company Ltd, respectively, and were later amalgamated into Block 90/599.

The companies were owned by Leonard Onyancha and his wife, Careen Onyancha, who eventually sold the amalgamated parcel to Shital Bhandari, the fourth defendant in the case.

Another portion of the reservoir was subdivided into parcels Block 90/591 to 90/596 and allocated to various individuals, including former Deputy Mayor Ali Mwanzi, Julia Ojiambo, Rosemary Irungu, Hannah Wanjiku, and Fatma Abdalla. These plots were later transferred to Fredrick Kimemia and his associate, Samuel Gathogo Mwangi.

In its judgement, the court ruled that the original land was not available for allocation to private persons as it had already been reserved for public use.

"…the land in question is public land because it had a public utility, including water storage facilities meant to serve the public...The suit property, having been reserved and marked as a water reservoir, was not available for allocation," read a section of the ruling.

EACC had filed the suit in 2021 after a complaint from the Loresho Residents Association, which raised concerns that a shopping mall was being planned on the site.

In June 2022, the court granted interim orders restraining any dealings on the land pending the case’s determination.

The court further directed that the land be registered in the name of the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and ordered the cancellation of all title deeds issued following the illegal subdivision.

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According to testimony from EACC’s witnesses, including officials from NAWASCO and the Ministry of Lands, the land had been surrendered for public use in 1976 during a subdivision scheme.

Despite this, no valid approval was ever given for its conversion to private use, nor was a lawful change of user undertaken.

The court found that the defendants could not hold a valid title over the subdivided plots and ordered the land to be returned to the Government of Kenya for its intended public purpose.