‪Ruto-Linked Firm Wins Back Sh13bn Land‬

Renton Company Ltd, a firm controversially linked to President William Ruto and former MP Cyrus Jirongo, has regained temporary possession of 1,643 acres of land in Ruai, Nairobi—valued at KSh13 billion—after securing a Court of Appeal order suspending a High Court judgment that had nullified its title and awarded the land to squatters.

The High Court had in October 2024 ruled that Renton’s ownership documents were illegitimately acquired and declared members of the Kamunyonge Gatwoto Self-Help Group as the rightful owners, directing the Nairobi County Government to facilitate their resettlement.

Despite this, Justice Anne Abongo Omollo of the Environment and Lands Court suspended the execution of the judgment for 18 months, citing the company’s risk of suffering substantial loss through possible invasion by squatters.

Although Renton remained in physical possession of the land, its corporate ownership remains opaque, with no traceable records at the Business Registration Service and multiple court affidavits signed by individuals with similar names or aliases.

The land, previously earmarked for public use during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure but later privatized in 2023 under President Ruto’s administration, has long been at the center of political and legal contention, with past investigations and Nairobi County Assembly debates publicly implicating powerful political figures in its ownership, fueling concerns over state capture, land grabbing, and justice for displaced squatters.