Murkomen Warns Judicial Officers Over Land-Grabbing in Kilifi
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sent a strong warning to judicial officers who are allegedly involved in aiding land-grabbing activities in Kilifi County.
While speaking during an official visit to Kilifi on Wednesday, April 9, Murkomen pointed out that some judicial officers have been deeply involved in worsening land problems in the area.
He blamed them for issuing conflicting and suspicious court orders during land disputes, which he says have only fueled confusion and injustice.
According to the CS, in some cases, these court orders are made under “adverse possession” laws, allowing individuals who have illegally occupied land for over 12 years to apply for legal ownership.
However, Murkomen noted that in Kilifi, such laws are being misused by corrupt individuals, with some people being granted ownership rights over multiple land parcels, which is highly suspicious and, in his words, “an outright act of corruption.”
He emphasized that it is impossible for one person to be granted adverse possession of five different parcels of land under genuine circumstances.
The CS said he is planning to engage Chief Justice Martha Koome directly to address these issues and ensure that any judicial officers found to be supporting or benefiting from land-grabbing schemes are brought to justice.
“In law, when you grant an order of adverse possession, you are acknowledging that someone has stayed on a piece of land for many years, typically over a decade.
But here we are seeing people being given multiple pieces of land through these orders, and that raises serious concerns of corruption,” he said.
Murkomen further highlighted that the corruption tied to land ownership in Kilifi has created long-term problems, including a growing number of squatters, forced invasions, and ongoing family disputes.
He welcomed past efforts to discipline judicial officers involved in such corrupt activities and expressed confidence that the national justice system, under the leadership of the Chief Justice, will take citizens’ concerns seriously.
His warning comes shortly after CJ Martha Koome made her own statement on corruption within the Judiciary.
On Tuesday, March 25, Koome announced that the Judiciary will begin working more closely with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to root out corruption within the justice system.
She explained that the Judiciary is moving from a complaints-only approach to a more proactive, intelligence-led method of identifying corrupt officials.
According to her, this new approach will help protect the integrity of the courts and ensure that the public regains trust in the Judiciary.
“We are now complementing the complaints approach with an intelligence-based model that involves working closely with the EACC and the National Intelligence Service,” Koome stated. She added that the ultimate goal is to create a system where corruption is not only discouraged but completely eliminated.
Koome also reaffirmed her stance that the Judiciary is a corruption-free institution and emphasized that they are committed to maintaining that status.
Together with other Supreme Court judges, she is currently under scrutiny but insists that they are focused on preserving the dignity and transparency of the judicial system.
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