The recovery concerns a 1.05-acre public property in Kakamega’s Milimani area.
A court-approved settlement requires Macdonald Lijoodi Makaka to surrender his interest in the 1.05-acre property next to Kakamega State Lodge.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured a court-approved settlement in a Sh40 million Kakamega land recovery. The agreement provides for the return of public land containing three government houses to the State.
The 1.05-acre parcel lies in Milimani, next to Kakamega State Lodge. EACC says it belongs to the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, but a private individual unlawfully acquired its title.
Court settlement backs Kakamega land recovery
Justice A. Nyukuri adopted the consent on September 22, 2026. Under its terms, Macdonald Lijoodi Makaka relinquished his rights, title and interest in the property.
The court also directed the Chief Land Registrar to correct the land register. This requires cancelling entries relating to the lease issued to Makaka.
The settlement follows EACC’s proceedings in Environment and Land Court Case No. E009 of 2024. The commission sued Makaka and then Commissioner of Lands Wilson Gacanja, challenging the property’s allocation and registration.
Land remained in government housing use
EACC identified the parcel as Kakamega Municipality Block III/212. Its investigations established that the government had reserved and developed it for housing, making it unavailable for private allocation.
Despite that reservation, Makaka received a letter of allotment dated December 10, 1992. A lease registration in his favour followed on June 4, 1993.
However, the property continued to serve as government housing after the private registration. The Government Building Register lists the three houses under references KAKA/HOU/MG/33, KAKA/HOU/MG/34 and KAKA/HOU/T/HG/4.
Following the settlement, EACC said it was pursuing cancellation of the unlawfully acquired title. It was also seeking transfer and registration in the government’s name to restore legal ownership and protect continued public use.
EACC urges buyers to check land ownership
Meanwhile, EACC Head of Corporate Affairs and Communication Stephen K. Karuga reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to recovering public assets. He said this covered property acquired through corruption or other unlawful means, with recovery intended to restore public benefit.
The commission also cautioned prospective buyers to establish a property’s ownership history and legal status before purchasing land. Its advice includes checking the root of title and confirming that the land has no public-use reservation.
