[2017] KEELC 2890 (KLR)
The court found that the applicants had established a prima facie case with a probability of success, as the evidence indicated that the 1st to 10th Respondents, as former officials of the Group Ranch, had acted irregularly in the allocation and transfer of community land and funds. The court considered the need to...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2017] KEELC 2890 (KLR)
- Parties
- Applicant: MajiMoto Group Ranch (Registered Group Representatives); Respondent: Manyone David Matunke; Respondent: James Pashamai Ahire; Respondent: Senet Riamit; Respondent: Mainka Muntet; Respondent: Tumate Parmuat; Respondent: Salankat Merku; Respondent: Ngeremor Omba; Respondent: Orkuneen Kong’oni; Respondent: Patrick Kimursoi; Respondent: David Nanteya; Respondent: District Land Registrar; Respondent: District Land Adjudication & Settlement Officer; Respondent: Ministry of Lands, Urban and Physical Planning; Respondent: Honourable Attorney General; Respondent: National Land Commission
- Court
- Environment and Land Court
- Court Station
- Environment and Land Court at Narok
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Petition 268 of 2017
- Procedural Posture
- Constitutional Petition / Ruling on Interlocutory Application (notice of Motion)
- Outcome
- Notice of Motion dated 16th March, 2017 allowed. Interim orders granted as prayed.
- Legal Topics
- Community Land Management, Group Ranch Governance, Fiduciary Duties of Officials, Land Allocation Irregularities
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
MajiMoto Group Ranch (Registered Group Representatives)
Applicant
Manyone David Matunke
Respondent
James Pashamai Ahire
Respondent
Senet Riamit
Respondent
Mainka Muntet
Respondent
Tumate Parmuat
Respondent
Salankat Merku
Respondent
Ngeremor Omba
Respondent
Orkuneen Kong’oni
Respondent
Patrick Kimursoi
Respondent
David Nanteya
Respondent
District Land Registrar
Respondent
District Land Adjudication & Settlement Officer
Respondent
Ministry of Lands, Urban and Physical Planning
Respondent
Honourable Attorney General
Respondent
National Land Commission
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Constitutional Petition / Ruling on Interlocutory Application (notice of Motion)
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the 1st to 10th Respondents, as former officials of the Group Ranch, acted irregularly in allocating and transferring community land and funds.
- 2 Whether interim prohibitory and declaratory orders should be granted to protect public utility land pending the hearing of the petition.
- 3 Whether the District Land Registrar should place restrictions and recall titles for public land irregularly transferred.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the applicants had established a prima facie case with a probability of success, as the evidence indicated that the 1st to 10th Respondents, as former officials of the Group Ranch, had acted irregularly in the allocation and transfer of community land and funds. The court considered the need to preserve the subject land and protect public utilities pending the hearing of the main petition. The court relied on the principles governing the grant of interim injunctive relief, the statutory and fiduciary obligations of group ranch officials, and the constitutional mandate to protect community land. Accordingly, the court granted the orders sought to restrict dealings with...
Court Disposition
Notice of Motion dated 16th March, 2017 allowed. Interim orders granted as prayed.
Orders
- The 11th Respondent (District Land Registrar) to place restrictions on all public utilities land within MajiMoto Ranch pending the hearing and determination of the petition.
- The 11th Respondent is ordered to recall all titles in respect of all public land transferred and/or registered in the names of the 1st to 10th Respondents.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
55 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT OF KENYA
AT NAROK
PETITION NO. 268 OF 2017
IN THE MATTER OF: ARTICLES 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 40, 47, 60, 61, 63,
64, 165, 258 and 259 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF KENYA, 2010
IN THE MATTER OF: THE LAND ACT, 2012
IN THE MATTER OF: THE LAND REGISTRATION ACT, 2012
IN THE MATTER OF: THE LAND (GROUPREPRESENTATIVES)
ACT, CAP 287 (REPEALED)
IN THE MATTER OF: THE COMMUNITY LAND ACT (2016)
BETWEEN
THE REGISTERED GROUP REPRESENTATIVES O
MAJIMOTOGROUP RANCH..................................................PETITIONERS
AND
MANYONE DAVID MATUNKE..........................................1ST RESPONDENT
JAMESPASHAMAI AHIRE................................................2ND RESPONDENT
SENET RIAMIT.................................................................3RD RESPONDENT
MAINKA MUNTET.............................................................4TH RESPONDENT
TUMATEPARMUAT...........................................................5TH RESPONDENT
SALANKATMERKU...........................................................6TH RESPONDENT
NGEREMOROMBA..........................................................7TH RESPONDENT
ORKUNEENKONG’ONI....................................................8TH RESPONDENT
PATRICK KIMURSOI........................................................9TH RESPONDENT
DAVIDNANTEYA.............................................................10TH RESPONDENT
THEDISTRICT LAND REGISTRAR..................................11TH RESPONDENT
THE DISTRICT LAND ADJUDICATION &
SETTLEMENTOFFICER..................................................12TH RESPONDENT
THE MINISTRY OF LANDS, URBAN AND,
PHYSICAL PLANNING....................................................13TH RESPONDENT
THE HONOURABLE ATTORNEY GENERAL..................14TH RESPONDENT
THE NATIONAL LAND COMMISSION............................15TH RESPONDENT
RULING
MajiMoto Group Ranch a body corporate established under the (Group Representative) Act, Cap 287 Laws of Kenya, through there registered representatives(where hereinafter I will refer to as the Petitioners) filed a Petition in court dated the 16th day of March, 2017.
A Notice of Motion hereinafter referred to as Application was filed together with said Petition seeking various declaratory and prohibitory orders.
The Application was supported by the Affidavit of MANKI OLE TWALAthe Chairman of the Applicant and it relied on a number of grounds that were outlined on the face of the application.
The Supporting Affidavit reiterated the grounds on which the Application is based.
When the Notice of Motion was filed I did grant interim orders in terms of prayer B and D of the application which were interim in nature prohibiting and restraining the respondents from dealing and in any manner registering any transaction or transfer on the subject land pending the hearing and determination of the Application interparties hearingon 27th April 2017.
The Application was canvased before me on 10th March, 2017 and Ms Thiongo appearing for the Applicants stated that the ill bedeviling the Group Ranch is solely perpetuated by the 1st to 10th Respondents who were the officials of the Group who acted irregularlyby contravening there statutory obligations and their fiduciary duties to the members of the Group Ranch.
While relying on the supporting affidavit she stated that as a result of their irregular dealing the 1stto the 10th Respondents were suspended out of office by the Registrar of Group Ranchwho accused them of irregular land allocations andembezzlement of funds.
The 6th, 8th and 9th Respondents are the only Respondents that filed Replying Affidavits to the Application each of the said Respondents merely corroborated the fears of the Applicant herein. They feigned ignorance of the ongoing at the Group Ranch and in fact stated that they were supportive of any action that will repossess land regularly allocated and accounting for community funds held by the officials.
I have heard submissions by Counsel for the Applicant and read the Replying Affidavit of the three Respondents Replying affidavits. I am satisfied that the Applicants herein have established a prima facie case with probability of success and I do make the following orders:-
1. THAT the 11th Respondent herein do place restrictions on all public utilities land within MajiMoto Ranch pending the hearing and determination of the petition.
2. That the 11th Respondent is hereby ordered to recall all titles in respect of all public land which were either transferred and/or registered in the names of the 1st to 10thRespondents.
3. THAT the 1st to 10th Respondents are hereby ordered to submit to court and tender a true and full record of all allocations of land and records of their subsequent transfer. The records should include original registers and minutes authorizing such allocations and/or transfer.
The upshot of the above is that I allow the Notice of Motion dated 16th March, 2013.
It is best that no further transactions are carried out on the suit land pending the hearing and determination of the petition herein.
The costs of the application shall be to the Applicant. These shall be the orders accordingly.
DATED, SIGNED and DELIVERED in open court atNAROKon this12thday ofMay, 2017
Mohammed Noor Kullow
Judge
In the presence of:-
Ms. Thiongo for the Petitioners
Ms. Kilele holding brief for Ms Simiyu for the 1st, 2nd,3rd,5th and 10th Respondents
CA:Chuma