Pressure is growing on Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir to resign after a shocking Sh2.75 billion scandal involving compensation meant for landowners affected by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.
The money, intended for 184 members of the Dupoto/Dafur Settlement Scheme, has allegedly been misdirected to unknown individuals and suspicious law firms under circumstances that have triggered outrage and legal action.
In a court petition filed by PLO Lumumba, the affected landowners claim they had legally appointed Letangule & Co. Advocates to handle the compensation process.
Despite handling the case for six years, the law firm was paid only Sh2 million out of a rightful Sh80 million. Meanwhile, the full Sh2.75 billion was allegedly paid to two different firms, Sankale & Co. Advocates and Johnson and Partners LLP firms that the petitioners say they never hired or knew about.
All eyes are now on PS Nixon Korir, who is accused of orchestrating the rerouting of the funds. According to the petition, in 2023, Korir stepped into the process claiming he was helping to fast-track the issuance of a title deed.
During this time, he is said to have met secretly with the scheme’s secretary, John Kiyian Karu, while keeping members in the dark about key decisions.
Korir allegedly demanded that the landowners surrender 38 acres before any paperwork could proceed. Members were also told to open bank accounts at Kenya Commercial Bank, something they now see as a deliberate tactic to control and limit access to their compensation.
Then in October 2023, without the group’s knowledge or consent, Letangule & Co. Advocates was removed from the case and replaced by Johnson and Partners LLP.
On December 16, Kenya Railways released the full compensation of Sh2.75 billion after transferring 55 out of the 93 acres. But the money never passed through the rightful law firm.
Instead, the funds were spread across various individuals and unknown entities. Shockingly, only Sh250 million is reported to have reached the actual landowners.
The rest vanished into a web of shadowy transactions.Narok South MP Kitilai Ntutu is among those named in the petition as having received Sh250 million.
Nick Ndenda & Associates reportedly took Sh112 million, Moniket & Co. Advocates pocketed Sh155 million, and Sankale & Co. Advocates is said to have withdrawn Sh181 million in cash within just two days.
These massive payouts have no clear explanation, and there is no proof that any of these recipients had a legal mandate from the landowners.Worse still, the petition accuses Nixon Korir of pushing for a fake sale agreement and of bullying members to drop their initial court case.
They claim he personally facilitated the shady law firm switch, allowing the billions to be paid out with no oversight or transparency. For public servants who are supposed to protect citizens, these are damning allegations.
To date, no one has been arrested or charged. The petitioners have turned to the DCI, EACC, and DPP, demanding urgent investigations into Korir’s involvement. The silence from these institutions, however, is deafening.
Kenyans are left wondering how such a high-ranking official can remain in office with such serious claims hanging over his head.
This case reflects everything that is wrong with public service in Kenya abuse of power, misuse of public funds, and total disregard for the suffering of ordinary citizens. If true, Nixon Korir didn’t just fail in his duty he used his position to exploit the very people he was supposed to serve.
His continued stay in office sends a dangerous message that theft and corruption have no consequences in this country.
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