4 major land scandals linked to DP Ruto and his businesses

The following are some land challenges that Kenya's second in command has encountered as his business empire grows.

DP Ruto ordered to return 100 acres of land

On 27 June 2013, the High Court in Nairobi ordered DP Ruto to return a 100 acre piece of land he had acquired irregularly to its rightful owner- an internally Displaced peasant farmer Gilbert Adrian Muteshi.

Ruto was also ordered to pay the farmer Sh 5 million.

On 15 August 2013, the media reported that DP Ruto had complied with the court orders and returned the land in a low-key event away from the glare of the public and the media.

Weston Hotel land on public land-KCAA

Amidst mounting public pressure calling for the demolition of Weston Hotel which reportedly sits public land, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Director Gilbert Kibe has clarified that the land on which DP Ruto’s Weston Hotel sits belongs to the authority.

With the matter still in court, it is not clear how DP Ruto’s luxurious Weston Hotel acquired the land.

The public is keenly watching to see if the hotel will be brought down in the on-going demolition targeting buildings standing on riparian land and irregularly acquired public land.

Nation reporters roughed up filming construction of Shanzu beach linked to Weston Hotel

On Thursday, Nation Media Group journalists were roughed up and arrested while filming the construction of a beach-front hotel that has encroached into the Indian Ocean.

As the media delved into the issue, it emerged that the Weston hotel owned by DP Ruto was behind the construction of the beachfront property that had reportedly encroached into the ocean.

Langata road primary school land and tear-gassing of pupils

On January 2016, Langata Road Primary School play-ground was hived off and a perimeter wall erected round it. The public reacted with outrage after it emerged that the play-ground would be used to construct a parking lot for Weston Hotel- a hotel that DP William Ruto admitted that he owns on a live media interview.

19 January 2016 turned out to be another dark day on Kenya’s history as police lobbied tear gas canisters at innocent pupils who had teamed up with activists and parents to bring down the wall.