By Robert Mutasi 
Questions have emerged over the government’s claim to a five-acre parcel of land near Eldoret State Lodge after land registry records reportedly linked the property to the family of former President Daniel arap Moi and Willowdale Investments Limited.
The dispute follows the eviction of caretakers from the property by officers from the General Service Unit (GSU) ahead of this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, which were held at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on October 20, 2026.
According to records at the Eldoret Land Registry, the disputed parcel, registered as Eldoret Municipality/Block 8/62, is associated with the Moi family and Willowdale Investments Limited. The family says it has occupied the land since 1996 without any previous dispute involving the neighbouring State Lodge.
Caretakers told the Daily Nation that they were ordered to leave the property without receiving formal eviction notices. They said officers informed them that a senior government official had directed occupants of properties neighbouring the presidential residence to vacate immediately.
The workers complied with the instructions, while their belongings were moved from the premises under the watch of officers believed to be from the GSU.
A senior land registry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reportedly confirmed that the property had been registered under the Moi family and Willowdale Investments Limited for decades.
However, it remains unclear whether the government has a competing legal interest in the parcel or whether any formal acquisition or repossession process has been initiated.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Edyson Nyale confirmed that caretakers had contacted him about the eviction. He said he advised them to wait until the Mashujaa Day celebrations were over before returning for further consultations.
Nyale added that the affected parties had not returned to discuss the matter further.
National Land Commission county representative Wile Lineka acknowledged awareness of the dispute but declined to comment, referring the matter to the commission’s headquarters in Nairobi.
Lawyer Moses Mutisya, who represents the Moi family, said he had visited the property to document the events following reports of the eviction. He said the family was yet to decide on its next course of action.
The incident comes amid political tensions between President William Ruto and Kanu chairman Gideon Moi. Their differences deepened during the 2025 Baringo senatorial by-election, when Ruto backed a United Democratic Alliance candidate who eventually won the seat.
However, there is no established evidence linking the political differences to the takeover of the property.
The dispute also comes against the backdrop of a wider government effort to reclaim land allegedly encroached upon around State Houses and State Lodges.
Earlier in 2026, State House Comptroller Katoo ole Metito told Parliament that several presidential residences had lost portions of their land to encroachment. He said the government had recovered about 100 acres belonging to Kakamega State Lodge and was pursuing similar efforts elsewhere.
Ole Metito also cited previous repossession efforts involving land at Eldoret State Lodge.
It remains unclear whether the five-acre parcel associated with the Moi family falls within the land targeted by the government’s recovery programme.
The dispute is likely to draw further attention to questions surrounding land ownership, public security and the legal procedures required when the State seeks to reclaim property. The government had not publicly clarified the legal basis for the eviction by the time the Daily Nation report was published.
Baraka Simba