Court Ruling That Shed Light on Kisii Town Market Land Ownership

A recent court ruling has provided insight into the ownership of the land occupied by the Marikiti Market in Kisii town, which was today ravaged by a devastating fire.

The Lands Court judgment, delivered on June 4, 2025, by Justice Munyo Sila, dismissed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)'s bid to force former Minister Prof. Sam Ongeri to surrender the alleged market property.

According to the court documents, the land in question was leased to Prof. Ongeri on July 12, 1982, by the Gusii County Council for a period of 99 years, starting from March 1, 1982. The EACC had claimed that the property was illegally acquired and that it was part of the land set aside for the Kisii Municipal Market.

However, Justice Sila ruled that there was no evidence to show that the former Lands Commissioner, James Raymond Njenga, had acted fraudulently in allocating the land to Ongeri. The judge noted that the presence of vegetable vendors on the plot did not necessarily make it public land.

The court's decision suggests that the land occupied by the Marikiti Market is privately owned by Prof. Sam Ongeri, with a leasehold title. The judgment implies that the vendors operating in the market may be doing so with the permission of the landowner or as tenants.

The recent fire that razed the market to ashes has brought the issue of land ownership to the forefront, with many people seeking clarity on the history of the land.

The court ruling provides a crucial piece of information in understanding the ownership dynamics of the market land.