A group of landowners in Vihiga County is set to receive KSh115.4 million in compensation for land acquired for the construction of the Kipsigak–Serem–Shamakhokho Road, after nearly two decades of waiting.
In a statement on August 14, the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) said the funds had been transferred to the National Land Commission (NLC) to facilitate compensation of the affected landowners by the State Department for Roads, through the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA).
“After nearly two decades of delay, Ksh. 115,419,689.00 was transferred by the State Department for Roads, through the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), to the National Land Commission (NLC),” the Commission said.
The compensation dispute dates to 2007, when land was compulsorily acquired to facilitate construction of the Kipsigak–Serem–Shamakhokho Road.
The acquisition was gazetted through Gazette Notices Nos. 41562 and 4153 dated May 11, 2007.
However, the affected residents did not receive compensation for their land, prompting them to seek intervention from the Commission’s Kisumu Regional Office in 2017.
The Commission said it subsequently began inquiries with KeRRA and other government agencies to establish why the affected landowners had not been paid.
The process involved several stages, including inspection, valuation and preparation of compensation awards.
According to the Commission, NLC and KeRRA conducted inspection and valuation of the affected parcels between July 20 and July 30, 2018.
The exercise aimed to establish the value of the land and developments on the affected properties and to determine the compensation payable to each affected person.
KeRRA initially indicated that the compensation process was expected to be completed by December 2019.
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Compensation Process Faced Delays
Despite the expected completion date, the affected landowners remained unpaid.
The Commission said the delay was partly linked to changes in the legal framework governing compulsory land acquisition, following the Land Act, 2012, which transferred the acquisition function from the Commissioner of Lands to the NLC.
The Commission also said the process was affected by delays between KeRRA and NLC over compensation awards and funding.
In March 2023, NLC informed the Commission that compensation awards had been issued to the affected residents and that it had requested funds from KeRRA to make the payments.
KeRRA, however, said it could not release the funds because of budgetary constraints.
The authority told the Commission that it had requested an allocation from the National Treasury and would remit the funds to NLC once they became available.
The Commission continued to follow up on the matter, as the compensation remained outstanding.
The prolonged delay eventually prompted the Commission to take further action against the responsible agencies.
In September 2025, the Commission summoned the Acting Director General of KeRRA to appear before it over the continued delay in resolving the matter.
The Commission said the summons were issued because of “the continued delay in resolving the matter and persistent unresponsiveness.”
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The intervention eventually resulted in the transfer of the compensation funds to NLC on May 6, 2026.
The transfer marked a major step towards resolving the long-running dispute and enabling the affected landowners to receive their compensation.
NLC Receives KSh115.4 Million as CAJ Maintains Prosecution Recommendation
Following confirmation of the transfer, the Commission said it lifted a Notice to Show Cause/Citation Notice issued against the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Roads.
However, the Commission said its recommendation to prosecute the Principal Secretary remains in force.
“The recommendation for prosecution under Section 52 of the Commission on Administrative Justice Act, CAP 7J, dated 20th July 2026, remains in force,” the statement said.
The recommendation followed the Principal Secretary’s failure to comply with a summons requiring him to appear before the Commission on July 7, 2026.
The Commission said no lawful explanation had been provided for the failure to attend.
With KSh115.4 million now transferred to NLC, the affected landowners are expected to move closer to receiving payment for land that was acquired nearly 19 years ago.
The development brings fresh hope to residents who have waited since 2007 for compensation arising from the road project.
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