Kwale: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully recovered public property valued at Sh100 million in Kwale and Mombasa counties. The recovery followed a ruling by the Environment and Land Court which nullified the illegal allocation of the properties to private individuals and companies.
According to Kenya News Agency, the recovered assets include a 0.253-acre government house in Kizingo, Mombasa, valued at Sh55 million, and a 1.14-acre beach access road reserve in Diani, Kwale, valued at Sh45 million. EACC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud highlighted the court's decision, emphasizing that public land belongs to the citizens and should not be converted into private property.
The EACC's investigations revealed that the Diani beach access road, which stretches from the Ukunda-Diani Road to the Indian Ocean, was unlawfully allocated to a private company through a 99-year lease issued in 1994. On July 14, 2026, the Environment and Land Court in Kwale declared the lease null and void, ordering the cancellation of all related land records and restoring the property to public ownership to ensure uninterrupted public access to the beach.
In a separate case, the commission discovered that the Kizingo government house had been fraudulently allocated to a former Senior Resident Magistrate through a 99-year lease issued in 1998. On July 17, 2026, the Environment and Land Court in Mombasa deemed the lease illegal, cancelled all related documents, and permanently restrained the defendants from dealing with the property.
The EACC reported that the courts held government officials accountable for facilitating the illegal allocation of these properties, finding them liable for misfeasance in public office. The courts awarded the government Sh20 million in damages for trespass and prolonged interference with public property, while also ordering the defendants to bear the costs of the legal suits.
Mohamud stated that the recovery of the Diani property adds to a growing list of reclaimed public assets by the commission in Kwale, including the 32-acre Kinondo-Chale property valued at Sh1.2 billion. He also mentioned ongoing cases such as the Kongo Mosque land case and the Chenze Ranch case, emphasizing the EACC's commitment to preventing illegal loss of public property.
Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani welcomed the recovery as a significant milestone in the county's efforts to reclaim public land. She noted previous successes in recovering land near Kaskazi and highlighted ongoing disputes over beachfront parcels. Achani reiterated the county's commitment to working with EACC and appealed for support in resolving land disputes involving fraudulent title deeds.
The EACC has reportedly recovered public assets worth over Sh1.16 billion in the Coast region over the past three years, including land belonging to the Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Railways Corporation, Kenya Meat Commission, and the County Government of Mombasa.