For thousands of Kenyans who put their savings into Banda Homes, the dream was simple. They wanted to own a decent home, raise their families in a secure neighbourhood and stop paying rent. Some were working abroad and sending money home every month, hoping to return to a house they could finally call their own.
Others had spent years saving, borrowing and sacrificing to raise the money demanded by the developer. But that dream turned into a nightmare when Banda Homes failed to deliver the promised houses, leaving buyers chasing refunds and answers about money that the complainant places at more than KSh 10 billion.
Now, fresh questions are emerging about what happened to the people behind the company and whether the same business operations are continuing through other property developers, including Sahara Projects Ltd and Crayven Estates Ltd.
At the centre of this controversy is Andrew Kamau Muhiu, the founder of Banda Homes, whose name has resurfaced in a complaint linking several property companies to the troubled developer. The companies mentioned include Sahara Projects Ltd, Dinara Developers Limited, Lettas Developers Limited, Mashariki Developers Limited and Craven Estate Ltd, which is also referred to as Crayven Estates Ltd in the complaint.
The concern is that while customers who paid Banda Homes are still struggling to recover their money or obtain their houses, new developments are being marketed to another generation of hopeful homeowners. These are the same people, resources and financial arrangements that were involved in the earlier housing projects.
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A look at how Sahara Projects Ltd markets its houses explains why prospective buyers would be interested. Its promotional campaigns feature standalone bungalows, spacious compounds, paved driveways and modern finishing in growing towns along the Thika Superhighway. One of the developments mentioned is Evergreen Estate in Kenol, where the company presents the promise of comfortable suburban living away from Nairobi's expensive neighbourhoods.
The videos are professionally produced, the houses look attractive and the message is carefully designed to appeal to middle-class families, retirees and Kenyans living abroad. But buyers should look beyond the beautiful pictures and establish who owns the company, how the projects are financed and whether the developer can actually deliver what it is selling.
The biggest concern is the possibility of the same people moving from one company to another whenever an earlier business runs into trouble. This is system in which Andrew Kamau, a property developer, collects money from customers, promises to build houses and then faces growing complaints when construction slows down or stops altogether. As buyers begin demanding refunds and taking legal action, another company emerges with a fresh name, new marketing materials and attractive housing projects.
If investigators want to understand what happened to Banda Homes, they must examine the ownership records, bank accounts, land transactions, machinery and financial dealings of the companies named in this article.
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Andrew Kamau Muhiu is a central figure in all these, because the complaint identifies him not only as the founder of Banda Homes but also links him to Dinara Developers Limited, Lettas Developers Limited and Mashariki Developers Limited.
Not just that one, Sahara Projects Ltd also operates under his influence through his wives and wive's relatives.
The information I am examining connects Kamau's name to Dinara Developers Limited, Lettas Developers Limited and Mashariki Developers Limited, while raising further questions about his influence over Sahara Projects Ltd through other individuals.
The same information identifies Catherine Ng'ang'a, Kamau's second wife, in connection with Craven Estate Ltd, also referred to as Crayven Estates Ltd. It also mentions Ruth Muthoni, Kamau's former wife, and a dispute involving the three. But the issue here is not their private relationships. It is the need to establish who controls these property companies, whether their operations are financially connected and what happened to the money collected from buyers who never received the houses they paid for.
The way these houses are advertised also deserves attention. Sahara Projects Ltd operates from prominent premises, including the Sharp Centre in Muthaiga, Nairobi, and uses attractive architectural designs, professional videos and media exposure to market its developments and lure unsuspecting clients.
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Such marketing can make a company appear established and financially strong, particularly to a buyer who has never dealt with it before. A beautiful office, a convincing salesperson and a polished video can create confidence, but none of these guarantees that a developer has enough money to complete a project. Before paying millions of shillings, buyers need to know whether the land belongs to the developer, whether construction approvals are in place and whether the company has a clear plan for completing the houses.
The pricing strategy described in the complaint adds another concern. Houses offered slightly below prevailing market prices can attract buyers who believe they have found a rare opportunity to become homeowners. For families struggling with rent and Kenyans working abroad, the temptation is understandable. But a bargain becomes meaningless when a buyer pays millions of shillings and spends years waiting for construction to progress. The real measure of a property developer is not how cheaply it advertises houses but whether customers receive the homes they have paid for.
The victims of failed housing projects are not just names in court documents. They are parents who planned to raise children in their own homes, workers who spent years saving and retirees who believed they had secured a place to live. Some continue paying rent while servicing loans taken to finance houses that remain unfinished. Others have spent additional money pursuing refunds and legal remedies. These are the human consequences that disappear whenever the discussion shifts from undelivered houses to fresh advertisements and new developments.
The Banda Homes controversy, involving losses placed at more than KSh 10 billion in the complaint, should therefore remain a matter of public accountability. The company's liquidation records, outstanding customer claims, land holdings and financial transactions deserve close examination. So do the business connections involving Sahara Projects Ltd, Crayven Estates Ltd, Dinara Developers Limited, Lettas Developers Limited and Mashariki Developers Limited.
If a buyer pays for a bungalow in Kenol, that customer expects the money to go towards delivering the agreed house. They do not expect to spend years waiting while the developer continues advertising new estates elsewhere.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has been mentioned in connection with complaints involving off-plan housing schemes, and the complainant wants investigators to examine the companies linked to Banda Homes. That examination should begin with company registration records to establish the directors, shareholders and people who ultimately control the businesses. Investigators should then examine land ownership documents, customer contracts, payment receipts, bank transfers and records of construction expenditure. Where the same individuals appear across several companies, the next question should be whether the businesses operate separately or whether money and assets move between them.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations should not limit its attention to individual complaints from frustrated buyers. What is needed is a thorough examination of the financial and corporate relationships surrounding the businesses named in this matter.
Investigators should trace customer payments, establish the ownership of the advertised developments and determine whether funds or assets were transferred between companies. The relevant company and land registries should also be examined to identify the individuals who ultimately control the businesses and the properties they are marketing.
Kenya cannot build a trustworthy housing market when prospective homeowners are expected to hand over millions of shillings without clear information about the developers receiving their money. Every customer deserves to know who owns a property company, whether the land being sold is properly registered, whether construction approvals are in place and whether the business has a record of completing its projects. These are basic protections, not unreasonable demands.
The people who invested in Banda Homes deserve more than another round of promises. They deserve a proper account of their money, the assets connected to their projects and the steps being taken to address their outstanding claims. And anyone considering a property marketed by Sahara Projects Ltd or the other companies named in this complaint should understand why their corporate histories and business connections matter.
The question is bigger than Evergreen Estate in Kenol or any single development along the Thika Superhighway. It concerns a housing market where ordinary Kenyans can lose their life savings while new projects continue to attract buyers with impressive advertisements.
The DCI must follow the money. The company ownership records must be examined. The assets and financial transactions must be traced. And the customers left behind by Banda Homes must not be forgotten simply because the property market has moved on to new names and new advertisements.