Century-Old Land Dispute Over Sh3bn Makueni Ranch Escalates to Court of Appeal
A long-standing land dispute over a 5,048-acre ranch in Kiima Kiu, Makueni County, valued at over Sh3 billion, has intensified as 2,500 landless families of the Mamukii Society appeal a High Court ruling. The case involves historical grievances dating back to colonial-era land acquisitions.
The Mamukii Society claims that their ancestors were forcefully evicted between the 1920s and 1946 by Robin Woodcraft Stanley, and that the land, held under customary law, was unjustly seized. They argue that the title issued to Stanley & Sons Limited is invalid.
Stanley & Sons Limited maintains the land was legally purchased in 1947 under the Crownlands Ordinance, and that the government-issued title is proof of absolute ownership.
The High Court, citing insufficient evidence and overlapping claims by the Kiamuka Society, dismissed the Mamukii Society’s petition. The families are now taking the matter to the Court of Appeal, hoping to reclaim the land.
The case highlights the complex interplay between colonial-era property rights and modern claims of historical dispossession in Kenya, with broader implications for social justice and economic stability in Makueni and the Ukambani region.