Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria has refuted claims of land grabbing involving a parcel of land in Muguga, Lanet, dismissing accusations made by Kennedy Lang’at, a youth leader, as an attempt to malign his reputation.
In a detailed statement, Gikaria addressed a viral video circulated by Lang’at on Facebook, which alleged that the MP was involved in illegally seizing land Lang’at claims to have purchased through a public auction.
Gikaria stated that he legally acquired the Muguga land in 2022 and has been farming it without issue until recently, when an individual confronted his workers, claiming ownership.
“Having experience in land matters, I advised my workers to ignore the individual, as legitimate claims would follow proper channels, not intimidation,” Gikaria said.
He recounted a subsequent conversation with Lang’at, who claimed to have bought the land from a bank. Suspecting fraud, Gikaria invited Lang’at to verify documents at the Nakuru Lands office on April 11, 2025, but Lang’at was unavailable.
At the lands office, Gikaria obtained a search document confirming the land was still registered under the person who sold it to him. When he later met Lang’at at Bima Microfinance’s Nakuru office, Lang’at failed to produce his documents, claiming his title deed was lost and that he purchased the land from an individual named Samuel, not a bank. Gikaria, suspecting mischief, filed a caveat to block any transactions on the land.
“I did due diligence before purchasing the land and have all documents, including the title deed,” he asserted, denying Lang’at’s accusation of threatening him and labeling an alleged recording of the threat as “the work of AI.”
Gikaria has vowed to pursue legal redress for defamation and expressed readiness to cooperate with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) or other authorities.
In contrast, Lang’at, in a public statement, claimed his life was in danger, alleging that Gikaria confessed to destroying a fence on the disputed land and issued a death threat during a phone call on April 11, 2025.
Lang’at stated he legally purchased the land through a public auction and holds a valid title deed. He reported incidents of trespassing, theft, and malicious damage to the police on March 12 and April 2, 2025, with DCI officers visiting the site.
“This is no longer a land dispute; it’s a matter of life and death,” Lang’at said, appealing to the DCI, National Police Service, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and human rights defenders for protection and justice.