Sh24m loss exposed as Egerton land dispute deepens over 1,500-acre farm

The ownership and control of a large section of Egerton University’s farmland has come under sharp scrutiny after a government audit revealed how more than 1,500 acres were taken over, cultivated and later left in the hands of illegal occupants, exposing gaps in land management and official communication.

The Auditor General’s report for the year ended June 30, 2025, details how unknown private parties moved into the university’s land in Njoro and planted maize and wheat without a valid agreement, before later failing to comply with a profit-sharing understanding, resulting in a loss of Sh24,189,987 for the institution.

The report traces the issue back to a special sitting of the university Council held on February 29, 2024, where members approved the release of 2,000 acres for maize farming as part of efforts tied to national food security initiatives. The decision was communicated to the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Education through a letter dated the same day.

However, the council also directed that a separate communication be sent to the Cabinet Secretary to seek further direction on 1,500 acres that had been reserved for food safety purposes. Despite this, auditors later established that no formal response or guidance was ever issued by the ministry.

This lack of clarity created confusion over the actual land size under consideration, with the report noting uncertainty on whether the allocation stood at 1,500 or 2,000 acres as captured in council minutes.

“In some instances it was not clear what the exact acreage of land set aside was, that is, whether it was 1,500 or 2,000 acres, as per the council minutes,” the report states.

Even without a finalized agreement or official approval from the ministry, unidentified individuals proceeded to access and cultivate 1,500 acres of the university’s land. The cultivation activity took place twice, first in March 2024 and later in August 2024.

The situation was later escalated to security authorities after the university reported the matter to Njoro police station, where an Occurrence Book entry number 50/30/09/2024 was recorded.

In September 2024, the university leadership wrote to the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Higher Education, seeking intervention over what it termed rising security concerns linked to the contested land. However, auditors noted that no formal lease agreement or documented arrangement between the university and any private entity was presented for verification.

Further attempts to resolve the matter were made in November 2024 when the university engaged a representative of the company involved in the cultivation. During that meeting, it was agreed that the firm would assess production costs, yields and net earnings, and later share profits equally with the institution.

The arrangement did not hold. After harvesting wheat in January 2025, the company failed to remit the agreed share, leading to financial losses amounting to Sh24,189,987 for the university.

By the time the audit was concluded in September 2025, the dispute remained unresolved despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Education. The institution had written letters on January 17, 2025, and again on March 28, 2025, but no actionable response had been received.

The situation has since worsened, with auditors reporting that the land has now been taken over by illegal and armed settlers who are blocking access and preventing the university from using the property.

“Available information indicated that the land had been encroached and irregularly occupied by illegal and armed settlers who could not allow the university to make use of its land,” the report states.

The Auditor General has warned that the continued occupation poses a serious risk of permanent loss of the 1,500-acre parcel, especially in the absence of coordinated action by relevant authorities.

“In the circumstances, there is a risk of the university losing the parcel of land measuring 1,500 acres to illegal settlers or parties,” Gathungu warns.