Woman Charged in Eldoret Military Land Forgery Case
The society’s chairman, Mzee William Chepsilongei, has publicly accused senior politicians of attempting to expropriate the land for personal gain
Miriam Kubai, pictured above. Photo courtesy: DCI Kenya.
Miriam Kubai, acting under a power of attorney for the Leseru Tebeson Farmers Society, has been formally charged with forgery and the creation of false documents in a contentious land dispute involving the Ministry of Defence.
The case centers on a parcel of land situated near Moi Barracks in Uasin Gishu County. Prosecutors allege that Kubai forged an amended certificate of confirmation of a grant, falsely presenting it as an official document issued by the High Court of Kenya in Kakamega. This document was purportedly used in an attempt to misrepresent the rightful ownership of the land.
During her appearance at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Eldoret, Kubai pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court granted her release on a bond of Sh1.25 million. The case is scheduled for mention on May 12, 2025.
Background of the Land Dispute
The land in question, encompassing approximately 4,000 acres near Moi Barracks in Eldoret, has been the subject of a protracted dispute between the Leseru Tebeson Farmers Society and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). Members of the society assert that they were allocated the land by the Ministry of Lands in 2006 and have since faced challenges in asserting their ownership rights.
The KDF, on the other hand, claims the land is military property, partly occupied by the Eldoret Bullet Factory and used for training purposes. Tensions escalated when KDF officers reportedly blocked society members from accessing the land, leading to legal battles and calls for government intervention.
In 2020, the Leseru Tebeson Farmers Society filed a constitutional petition against the National Land Commission, the Ministry of Defence, and other entities, seeking to restrain them from interfering with the disputed land parcels. The Environment and Land Court at Eldoret dismissed the application in 2022, leaving the society’s claims unresolved.
The society’s chairman, Mzee William Chepsilongei, has publicly accused senior politicians of attempting to expropriate the land for personal gain, particularly in light of infrastructure projects like the Eldoret Eastern Bypass. He has called upon the government to protect the interests of the society’s members.
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