Armed youths storm Kimana Police Station, steal 400 title deeds
Laws on land registration allow one to seek ownership of a parcel they have occupied for 12 consecutive years. Lilian and her family have lived on disputed land for over 40 years.
What you need to know:
- The title deeds saga is a continuation of an ongoing battle of supremacy between the current chairman, Mr Metui, who is allied to Governor Lenku, and a rival, Mr Konee Kinyaku, who is a close ally of a top State House official.
- Attempts to oust Mr Metui have failed to materialise on several occasions with a court ruling giving him a go-ahead to continue serving as the duly elected chairman.
On the evening of August 24, hundreds of armed youths stormed Kimana Police Station in Kajiado South, catching officers on duty unawares.
Taking advantage of the few officers on duty, the nearly 500 mob overpowered the security team and started ransacking the station, including the office of the officer commanding the station (OCS).
Moments later, they left in a huff, with a safe box containing at least 400 title deeds and other vital documents belonging to members of Imbirikani Group Ranch.
The daring invasion, which was kept secret until Sunday, was the culmination of the ranch’s leadership wrangles pitting two centres of power.
The safe box was seized three hours after a contingent of police officers, led by Kajiado South Sub-County Police Commander David Maina, had obtained it from the home of ranch chairperson Daniel Metui for safekeeping.
The sub-county police security committee had earlier received intelligence that a group of youths had planned to invade Mr Metui's home and torch the documents and ranch-owned motor vehicle.
According to a police report seen by Nation, the rowdy youths stormed Kimana Police Station at 6pm and forced entry into the OCS office after overpowering the officers on duty.
Mr Maina, the police chief, on Sunday told the Nation that the whereabouts of the safe box were still unknown.
On August 27, he said, police got intelligence of a vehicle that was allegedly transporting the Safe on Emal -Loitokitok road at night, but officers lost track of it when it vanished to Kyuhu Hills Park.
"We almost got hold of the vehicle that we suspected was transporting the safe box to Nairobi, but our chase got us into Kyulu Park," said Mr Maina.
“It was a matter of life and death and officers were prompted to retreat when youths began grouping in defence of their accomplices. We suspect the safe box is being held in a private ranch within Kyulu Ranch.”
The police boss said the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) had launched investigations into the incident and several suspects had been profiled.
"We have profiled some of the suspects identified for breaking into a police station. They will be arraigned in court in due course to answer charges of robbery with violence among others,” said Mr Maina.
Imbirikani Group Ranch has 4,300 members and Mr Metui said the loss of the titles and other documents was a big risk to members.
"The documents were taken from a police station in broad daylight. This amounts to denying the poor members their right to own title deeds," Mr Metui told Nation.
On Saturday, Kajiado County leaders put Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Acting Inspector-General of Police Gilbert Masengeli on notice over the alleged involvement of a local provincial administrator and a senior officer at Kimana Police Station in the mysterious loss of the land documents.
The leaders, led by Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, and Senator Samuel Seki, Nominated Senator Peris Tobiko, and MPs, Samuel Parashina (Kajiado South) and Onesmus Ngogoyo (Kajiado North) to train their guns on Mr Kindiki and Mr Masengeli, asking them to discipline the suspected officers.
"We have said enough is enough. There is a senior officer in government from this area who is abusing power and intimidating security officers to create chaos. We call upon their immediate removal from this area. We cannot trade our long-held peace with anything else," said Mr Lenku.
He added that there was a conspiracy between the officers to cause the disappearance of the titles at the expense of residents.
"We fought hard for these documents. We cannot jeopardize our land ownership through the irresponsibility of some officers."
Senator Seki urged Prof Kindiki and Mr Masengeli to intervene in the matter affecting innocent members.
Mr Ngogoyo said it was unbelievable that the safe disappeared at Kimana Police Station and so far no arrests have been made.
"The interference we are witnessing among security officers and the camp associated with some United Democratic Alliance members is very bad for peace," said Mr Ngogoyo.
Mr Parashina demanded immediate action on the officers involved.
"Suddenly, we have security officers working for one person and not the people. I am giving an ultimatum to such officers to pack and go if they cannot recuse themselves from public service," said the MP.
The leaders were speaking at the weekend during the launch of the Imbirikani Group Ranch Cooperative Society's blueprint (2024-2034), an investment strategic plan that is aligned with the county spatial plan.
The title deeds saga is a continuation of an ongoing battle of supremacy between the current chairman, Mr Metui, who is allied to Governor Lenku, and a rival, Mr Konee Kinyaku, who is a close ally of a top State House official.
Attempts to oust Mr Metui have failed to materialise on several occasions with a court ruling giving him a go-ahead to continue serving as the duly elected chairman.
