Murkomen Issues Stern Warning to Judiciary on Kilifi Land Grabbing

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stern warning to judicial officers in Kilifi County, accusing them of facilitating land-grabbing activities. In a hard-hitting address on April 9, 2025, Murkomen revealed that some officers have been at the heart of land disputes by issuing conflicting court orders and supporting illegal claims to land. This move comes as part of his ongoing efforts to hold corrupt officers accountable and restore integrity to the justice system. CS Murkomen Issues Strong Warning to Judiciary to- Halt Illegal Land Seizures in Kilifi Murkomen’s concerns are rooted in the misuse of adverse possession orders. These orders allow individuals to claim ownership of land after illegally occupying it for at least 12 years. The CS pointed out that this practice has been misused in Kilifi, with some individuals granted rights to multiple parcels of land despite their unlawful occupation. The CS highlighted a disturbing trend: one person, for example, had been granted adverse possession over five parcels of land, a move Murkomen called "unheard of" and "an outright act of corruption." He emphasized the damaging effects of such actions on the county, including the creation of squatters, land invasions, and family disputes. Murkomen has vowed to work closely with Chief Justice Martha Koome to tackle this issue head-on. He stressed that judicial officers engaged in corruption and land-grabbing must be held accountable. “We cannot allow the judiciary to be involved in such unlawful practices,” Murkomen said. The Role of Chief Justice Koome in Tackling Judicial Corruption Murkomen’s warning comes in the wake of Chief Justice Koome’s own commitment to combat corruption within the judiciary. In late March, Koome announced that the judiciary would adopt an intelligence-led approach to address corruption. She pledged to work closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to root out corrupt officials. Koome’s plan includes using intelligence to identify corrupt practices and individuals, moving beyond just complaint-based investigations. “Our goal is to protect the integrity of the institution and create a culture where corruption cannot thrive,” Koome said, echoing Murkomen’s concerns about restoring the public’s trust in the judiciary. Despite the challenges, Koome remains confident that these efforts will help to clean up the judiciary. “We will continue to fight to ensure that the Judiciary remains a corruption-free zone,” she added. Murkomen’s statement and Koome’s commitment reflect a growing urgency to address the problem of judicial corruption, especially in land disputes. Both leaders are working toward a common goal: ensuring that the justice system serves the public fairly and without bias. The spotlight on Kilifi County is just the beginning, as Murkomen plans to escalate the issue to the Chief Justice and take further action to end corrupt practices in the judiciary. With both Murkomen and Koome’s dedication to cleaning up the system, Kilifi’s land disputes may soon see a resolution, and the judiciary’s reputation may be restored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBiq11jKSI