The continued presence of armed police officers on a disputed piece of land in Nairobi’s Muthaiga area has triggered fresh protests from a businessman, despite a court ruling that clearly settled the ownership of the property.
Mount Pleasant Limited, which was declared the lawful owner by the court, says the officers were supposed to vacate but have remained on the land without justification.
The land, valued at approximately Ksh 1 billion, belongs to Mount Pleasant Limited following a judgment by the Environment and Land Court at Milimani. The case involved a long dispute between the company and Equity Bank chief executive James Njuguna Mwangi together with Jane Wangui Mundia, both of whom had laid claim to the same property and previously had armed police officers guarding it.
Justice Oscar Angote ruled that Mount Pleasant Limited lawfully acquired the land in 2006 after purchasing it from former Cabinet minister Arthur Kinyanjui Magugu and his wife Margaret Wairimu Magugu.
The property was initially registered as Land Reference Numbers 214/20/2 and 214/20/1/1 before being merged into L.R No. 214/832.
After reviewing the evidence, the court found that Mount Pleasant had followed the law in acquiring and registering the land.
In his judgment, Justice Angote stated that between the competing parties, Mount Pleasant Limited had proven that it was the legitimate proprietor of the suit property. Court records show that the company sought several orders, including declarations confirming its ownership, cancellation of the rival title, eviction of the occupants, police assistance, and damages for trespass.
These requests followed reports that the land had been entered unlawfully in 2013 and again in 2020.
Mwangi and Mundia told the court that they bought the land in 2012 from an estate linked to former President Daniel arap Moi for Ksh 333 million. They also said they later applied for the amalgamation of the two titles.
However, Mount Pleasant maintained that it had taken possession of the land years earlier and accused the two of evicting its guards and occupying the property without legal backing.In a detailed decree issued on November 12, 2025, the court declared Mount Pleasant Limited the sole legal and registered owner of the land.
Justice Angote cancelled the title issued to Mwangi and Mundia, describing it as void from the beginning, and ordered the Chief Land Registrar to cancel all related entries and reverse the amalgamation process.
The court also issued permanent injunctions stopping Mwangi and Mundia, their agents, or employees from entering, occupying, leasing, selling, charging, developing, or interfering with the land in any way.
A mandatory injunction required them to vacate and hand over vacant possession within 30 days, with eviction to follow if they failed to comply.
The Officer Commanding Station at Gigiri or Muthaiga Police Station was directed to help enforce the court orders and ensure Mount Pleasant’s peaceful occupation of the land.
The court further awarded Mount Pleasant Ksh 10 million in general damages for trespass, payable jointly by the two defendants, together with interest.
A separate claim for monthly compensation was rejected. Their counterclaim was dismissed in full, with costs awarded to Mount Pleasant.
Although the court granted a 45-day stay of execution, Mount Pleasant now says armed police officers are still guarding the land long after the judgment, a move the company argues directly goes against the court’s clear directions.
An appeal filed by the defendants did not succeed, leaving the ruling unchanged. The businessman insists the continued police presence undermines the authority of the court and delays the company’s full and peaceful use of its property.
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