Christopher Kurutyon Lonyala, Musa Tinyang, Lonyangaren Lokorrionkor, Robert Matanda, John Matanda, Joseph Kantich, Elizabeth Chepseret Ndururu, Pamela Chepkemoi Ngeinwa,Isaac Atodo Sire, Tegla Loroupe, Marko Chemaswet Kapsandui, Moses Kaburu, Lokale, Ramanyang Prech Biwott, Abraham Mariah Kamaku, Kakuto Yarangole Alukunyang, Stephen K.N. Ngeiywa, Alexander M. T. Siywet, Ben M. Ngeiywa, Mnangar Ritenyang Sepitoi, Boaz Naiywa, Lowguropus Lokorkou, Samwel K. Kapailel, Lotany Lotilimat, James Kaburu, Benjamin Urio, Lornal Ewoi, Ektela Ekal Lodio, Margret Longelech, Michael Ngolesh, Clay Madara Ochieng, Wilson Otieno Obure, Benjamin Oria, James K. Kaburu, Mary Simon Lokamar, Kenneth Esinyen, Epeyon Nkruka Etabo, Wilfred Ogutu & Sylus Odongo Were v Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Lands and Settlement, Director of Land Adjudication, District Land Adjudication Trans-Nzoia , County Commissioner Trans-Nzoia, Deputy County Commissioner Kwanza, Police County Commandant Trans-Nzoia, Administration Policy County Commandant [2018] KEELC 4874 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT AT KITALE

ELC PETITION NO. 2 OF 2014

CHRISTOPHER KURUTYON LONYALA.............................................................1ST PETITIONER

MUSA TINYANG.......................................................................................................2ND PETITIONER

LONYANGAREN LOKORRIONKOR....................................................................3RD PETITIONER

ROBERT MATANDA.................................................................................................4TH PETITIONER

JOHN MATANDA.......................................................................................................5TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH KANTICH.....................................................................................................6THPETITIONER

ELIZABETH CHEPSERET NDURURU..................................................................7TH PETITIONER

PAMELA CHEPKEMOI NGEINWA........................................................................8TH PETITIONER

ISAAC ATODO SIRE..................................................................................................9TH PETITIONER

TEGLA LOROUPE...................................................................................................10TH PETITIONER

MARKO CHEMASWET KAPSANDUI.................................................................11TH  PETITIONER

MOSES KABURU......................................................................................................12TH PETITIONER

LOKALE....................................................................................................................13TH  PETITIONER

RAMANYANG PRECH BIWOTT...........................................................................14TH PETITIONER

ABRAHAM MARIAH KAMAKU...........................................................................15TH PETITIONER

KAKUTO YARANGOLE ALUKUNYANG............................................................16TH PETITIONER

STEPHEN K.N. NGEIYWA......................................................................................17TH PETITIONER

ALEXANDER M. T. SIYWET..................................................................................18TH PETITIONER

BEN M. NGEIYWA....................................................................................................19TH PETITIONER

MNANGAR RITENYANG SEPITOI.......................................................................20TH PETITIONER

BOAZ NAIYWA..........................................................................................................21ST PETITIONER

LOWGUROPUS LOKORKOU...............................................................................2. 2ND PETITIONER

SAMWEL K. KAPAILEL..........................................................................................23RDPETITIONER

LOTANY LOTILIMAT.............................................................................................24TH PETITIONER

JAMES KABURU......................................................................................................25TH PETITIONER

BENJAMIN URIO.....................................................................................................26TH PETITIONER

LORNAL EWOI........................................................................................................27TH PETITIONER

AND

EKTELA EKAL LODIO..............................................................................1ST INTERESTED PARTY

MARGRET LONGELECH.........................................................................2ND INTERESTED PARTY

MICHAEL NGOLESH.................................................................................3RD INTERESTED PARTY

CLAY MADARA OCHIENG.......................................................................4TH INTERESTED PARTY

WILSON OTIENO OBURE.........................................................................5TH INTERESTED PARTY

BENJAMIN ORIA.........................................................................................6TH INTERESTED PARTY

JAMES K. KABURU.....................................................................................7TH INTERESTED PARTY

MARY SIMON LOKAMAR.........................................................................8TH INTERESTED PARTY

KENNETH ESINYEN....................................................................................9TH INTERESTED PARTY

EPEYON NKRUKA ETABO......................................................................10TH INTERESTED PARTY

WILFRED OGUTU......................................................................................11TH INTERESTED PARTY

SYLUS ODONGO WERE...........................................................................12TH INTERESTED PARTY

VERSUS

CABINET SECRETARY MINISTRY OF LANDS AND SETTLEMENT............1ST RESPONDENT

DIRECTOR OF LAND ADJUDICATION...............................................................2ND RESPONDENT

DISTRICT LAND ADJUDICATION TRANS-NZOIA...........................................3RD RESPONDENT

COUNTY COMMISSIONER TRANS-NZOIA........................................................4TH RESPONDENT

DEPUTY COUNTY COMMISSIONER KWANZA.................................................5TH RESPONDENT

POLICE COUNTY COMMANDANT TRANS-NZOIA..........................................6TH RESPONDENT

ADMINISTRATION POLICY COUNTY COMMANDANT-TRANS NZOIA....7TH RESPONDENT

INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE......................................................................8TH RESPONDENT

HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL...................................................................................9TH RESPONDENT

FRANCIS KAPCHANGA..........................................................................................10TH RESPONDENT

PETER CHAKALI......................................................................................................11TH RESPONDENT

R U L I N G

1. The application dated 14/3/2018 seeks a host of orders.  These orders are all related to the enforcement and compliance with a court order dated 2/3/2016.

2. The application seeks that the O.C.S Endebess Police Station do prevail upon his officers not to be used by the respondents Nos. 5, 10 and 11 in this petition to harass, intimidate or threaten to arrest the applicants/interested parties for exercising their status quo rights in Chepchoina Phase ll Settlement Fund Trustees Scheme as they own, use, benefit and deal with their lawful private individual properties therein.

3. There is also sought an order that the O.C.S. do invoke “contempt of court criminal liability offence charges” against any persons found to deliberately breach the said court order and also that the O.C.S. Endebess Police Station assisted by the Deputy County Commissioner be ordered to evict the “trespassers” on the said land who have no legal letters of allotment from the Government either through the Agricultural Development Corporation or the Settlement Fund Trustees.

4. The application is supported by the sworn affidavit of one Wilfred Ogutu the 11th Interested Party in the petition.  He avers that after the Government allotted the land to individuals between 1997 - 1998, it later repossessed the same land in 2012 and caused double allocation. The deponent terms it a “fallacy” the assertion that only the Settlement Fund Trustees can allot land on behalf of the Government.

5. I have looked at the court order dated 2/3/2016.  It was issued at the instance of the petitioners.  Later the interested parties who are the current applicants came into this matter by virtue of an order of this court issued on 28/2/2018.  Before they were enjoined, the dispute as to the interpretation of the orders of this court of 2/3/2016 was brought before this court and on 26/4/2016 this court stated that the status quo orders which were given are that the allottees by the Settlement Fund Trustees were the ones to remain in occupation. When the applicants therefore seek an enforcement of the order and at the same time state that they were settled by the Agricultural Development Corporation in 1997/98, and seek that the orders of status quo be maintained they appear to be engaging in doublespeak.

6. The application dated 14/3/2018 may at a casual glance be seen as one meant to vindicate the interests of justice but in my view it is not.  No credible evidence has been adduced in the affidavit that the orders of 2/3/2016 were disobeyed. Secondly there is also no evidence of harassment of the applicants by anybody to warrant the orders of restraint sought in prayer No. 2 of the application.

7. Thirdly, it is not the function of this court to direct the police as to whom they should arrest and charge in court as requested in prayer No. 3 for the reason that all that depends on the outcome of complaints and subsequent investigation of those complaints.

8. Fourthly, granting prayer No. 4 before the conclusion of the hearing of this petition is inimical to the interests of justice in that final mandatory orders would have been granted before a trial of the main issues in a suit on their merits which is contrary to the principles set out in various precedents such as the notorious “Locabail” case. (Locabail International Finance Ltd -vs- Agro Export & Another [1986] ALLER 901).

9. For this reason, I find no merit in the application dated 14/3/2018 and I hereby dismiss it with costs to the respondents.

Dated, signed and delivered at Kitale on this 13th day of April, 2018.

MWANGI NJOROGE

JUDGE

13/4/2018

Coram:

Before -Mwangi Njoroge, Judge

Court Assistant - Picoty

Mr. Karani for 10th and 11th Respondents

Applicants’ representative Ogutu, in Court

N/A for Hon. Attorney General

N/A for the Petitioners

COURT

Ruling read in open court.

MWANGI NJOROGE

JUDGE

13/4/2018