ACK evicts over 100 families in Eldoret land dispute
A policeman walks past evictees from Kambi Nyasi in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on March 25, 2026, after they were ejected from a parcel of land next to Kipkaren Estate which is being claimed by a church.
The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Eldoret Diocese, has evicted more than 100 families from Kipkaren Estate, citing legal ownership of the disputed land.
The eviction has left residents displaced and without shelter with many now spending nights under plastic sheets or seeking refuge with neighbours.
Several small-scale farms and businesses were also destroyed, further affecting livelihoods.
The squatters claim they have lived on the land for over 50 years having inherited it from a colonial settler.
They say they were not formally served with eviction notices and described the exercise as abrupt and violent.
Residents accuse the local ACK church of using a hired gang to forcefully remove them without a valid court order.
They described the eviction, which left homes destroyed and belongings scattered, as chaotic.
However, the church maintains that the land legally belongs to it. Bishop Christopher Ruto said the squatters had long refused to vacate the property despite repeated efforts by church officials to resolve the matter amicably.
He dismissed claims of inhumane treatment insisting that the eviction was conducted in an orderly and humane manner.
“As a church, we have been patient for a long time. They should not seek sympathy by accusing the church. We have done everything possible to resolve the matter properly, and now they are seeking sympathy while forgetting that we have been patient with them,” Bishop Ruto said.
He added that the church would release a comprehensive report on the eviction next week.
Residents, however, gave a different account, describing the operation as sudden and violent.
They alleged that a group of men whom they described as “hired goons” carried out the dawn eviction, breaking doors and throwing belongings out into the rain.
“They didn’t show us any court order. They just started kicking doors and throwing our belongings outside.My children are sleeping under a plastic sheet tonight. We have nowhere to go, and the church that is supposed to preach love is the one evicting us in such an inhumane way,” said Ms Mary Juma, a mother of four.
Another resident, Mr John Koech, claimed the men declared that the land belonged to the church and threatened residents with violence.
“These were not police officers. These were hired boys. How can a house of God hire goons to beat up poor people?” he asked.
Seventy-two-year-old Dinah Watora said she has nowhere else to go having lived on the land for five decades.
“This has been my home for the last 50 years. All five of my children were born here. I won’t go anywhere. Let me die here,” she said as she navigated the rubble of her demolished house.
Another elderly resident, 70-year-old Japheth Matebe, collapsed during the eviction and was admitted to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) after his blood pressure spiked. His grandson said he was overwhelmed by the destruction of his home.
Legal debate
The incident has sparked a broader debate on land rights and the legal procedures governing evictions in Kenya. Human rights defenders in Uasin Gishu have condemned the eviction terming it a violation of the Constitution and the Land Act.
Activists said that even property owners must follow due process, including obtaining court orders and issuing proper notice to occupants.
“Even in land disputes, the law is clear on how evictions should be conducted. You cannot use force or hired individuals to bypass the judicial process,” said a representative of a regional human rights lobby.
The squatters say they intend to challenge the eviction in court, citing long-term occupancy and inheritance claims. Human rights groups have pledged to support the affected families in seeking legal redress.
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