Local leaders in Taita Taveta County have condemned the unauthorized subdivision and land use change of Voi Sisal Plantations Limited, alleging procedural violations. Signed land documents obtained by officials show the Voi Land Control Board approved a shift from agricultural to commercial use on March 13, 2019. A February 13, 2019 postal search by Lands Registrar Sego Manyarkiy revealed Voi Sisal transferred parcel CR 51725 to Voi Point Limited via a January 31, 2019 agreement, which was later used as collateral for a Sh4.8 billion bank loan.
County Governor Granton Samboja, along with MPs Danson Mwashako, Andrew Mwadime, and Jones Mlolwa, stated the transfer occurred without proper oversight. 'The management of Voi Sisal Estates bypassed established land adjudication procedures to transfer interests to third parties,' they said in a joint statement. They emphasized no county government departments, assemblies, or public stakeholders were involved in the process, and no official approvals were granted.
Manyarkiy's letter to Lands Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri contested the transfer, noting an expired lease agreement for the 1,953-hectare site. The land, allocated to Voi Sisal Estates under grant CR 51725 in 1993, was registered at the Mombasa Land Registry for a 99-year term. The registrar alleged unauthorized lease reviews and stressed county governments only handle subdivision approvals and lease extensions under Section 17(1) of land regulations.
The officials announced plans to initiate legal action to 'uphold due process' and protect community and buyer interests. The dispute highlights tensions over land governance in Kenya's devolved system.
