How Daniel Moi left his family with Sh5.1bn bill for land wrangles

President Daniel arap Moi

Late President Daniel arap Moi.

Photo credit: File

The family of former President Daniel arap Moi is staring at multi-billion shilling compensation suits mostly connected to controversial land deals involving the former Head of State. The claims are in excess of Sh5.1 billion linked to multiple properties that the former president, who died in February 2020, either seized or sold in deals that went sour. The land deals have also sucked in big names such as Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi, tycoon Jaswant Rai and former minister Arthur Magugu and institutions.

Some cases have, however, been concluded in favour of the former President, easing the pressure on the family.

The latest case was settled by the Court of Appeal rejecting an application by the executor of Mr Moi’s will, Zehrabanu Janmhamed, to overturn a decision that ordered the ex-president to pay a widow Sh1.6 billion in compensation for illegally seizing her land.

Mr Moi is then said to have sold the land to Rai Plywood, a timber firm, owned by the billionaire Rai family. The land was illegally grabbed 39 years ago but only transferred to Mr Moi’s name in 2007.

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