Court Freezes Construction on Disputed Parklands Land Tied to Mandera Governor
The Environment and Land Court in Nairobi has issued interim preservation orders halting all construction and any dealings on four disputed parcels of land in Parklands, which are linked to Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif.
The orders, granted on February 11, 2026, bar the respondents from entering, encroaching, excavating, constructing, developing, occupying, selling, transferring, charging, or in any other way dealing with the properties for a period of six months. This decision comes as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission continues its investigations into the alleged unlawful acquisition and allocation of the land.
The affected parcels are L.R. No. 209/12670, 209/12671, 209/12672, and 209/12673. Following a resurvey in December 2020, these were consolidated or renumbered as L.R. No. 209/21526 in some references. The land is located in Parklands, Nairobi, adjacent to North Highridge Primary School.
The land was originally reserved for public utility purposes. Records from 1969 show a letter of allotment setting aside portions for a new primary school, now known as North Highridge Primary School, and an adjacent area for a social hall. However, the social hall portion was allegedly subdivided and irregularly allocated to private individuals and developers in July 1995. This occurred through an unapproved and unregistered Part Development Plan, in breach of the then-prevailing Government Lands Act. The allocations lacked proper authorization, and there is no evidence of lawful conversion from public to private residential use.
One parcel, originally L.R. No. 209/12673, reportedly changed hands several times before its transfer to Mohamed Adan Khalif in February 2021. Construction activities, including a residential flats project, have been associated with this land in recent periods.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission filed an urgent application seeking preservation orders to safeguard the properties during its probe. The Commission argued that without these measures, the integrity of the investigations and any potential recovery proceedings could be seriously jeopardized. The court agreed, issuing the interim orders under Section 56 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act to maintain the status quo.
The respondents include Hanosa Developers Limited, Leah Bosibori, Alloys Maore, and Mohamed Adan Khalif. The matter is scheduled for an inter partes hearing on March 5, 2026, where further arguments will be considered.
This ruling marks a significant development in the long-running dispute over the Parklands properties, which have faced prior legal challenges, including earlier attempts by community or school interests to stop developments on the site. The orders ensure the land remains untouched pending the outcome of the ongoing anti-corruption inquiries.