The son of the late former Provincial Commissioner Isaiah Cheluget has threatened legal action against President William Ruto over claims that the president purchased 5,600 acres of land in Narok South from the deceased.
While addressing residents at Sogoo trading center during a development tour of Narok County, President Ruto stated that he consulted with the late Cheluget regarding the land acquisition to resettle over 13,000 squatters.
However, Moses Kipkirui Cheluget, the late Cheluget’s son, has strongly disputed this assertion, arguing that his father passed away in 2017, making any consultation impossible.
“My father died in June 2017. For the president to claim he spoke to him is not only misleading but deeply troubling,” Kipkirui said.
“If there were any consultations with our family, the majority of us were never informed. I will move to court on Monday to compel the president to disclose who he communicated with regarding this transaction.”
Former Provincial Commissioner Isaiah Cheluget’s son, Moses Kipkirui Cheluget, threatens legal action against President Ruto over claims he bought 5,600 acres of land from deceased, who died in 2017
Kipkirui also criticized the president’s decision to announce this while the land is still in a legal battle over succession and ownership.
“The estate is still under succession, and we have yet to appoint an administrator. For the president to publicize claims about such a sensitive issue, which remains unresolved in court, is both premature and inappropriate,” he added.
He stated that he has instructed advocate GK Godwin Kiletyen and company to file an injunction against any dealings concerning the land until all family members are involved.
He asserted that if the president has communicated with any family members, they do not represent the entire family.
Isaiah Cheluget served as a Provincial Commissioner under President Daniel arap Moi and was allocated 5,800 acres of land in Narok South in 1974. He died on June 26, 2017, at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu and was buried at his home in Litein, Kericho County.
The Cheluget family has been involved in a prolonged legal battle against about 600 individuals who invaded and subdivided the land 15 years ago.
According to Kipkirui, courts have consistently ruled in the family’s favor. The latest ruling by the Environment and Land Court in Narok dismissed claims by more than 580 squatters against representatives of the Cheluget estate.
“As it stands, none of the 13 children of the late Cheluget are aware of any dealings involving the land. If the president claims to have spoken with our father, he must possess supernatural powers,” Kipkirui quipped sarcastically.
The president’s remarks have sparked public controversy, raising concerns about transparency and due process in managing public resettlement projects.
In response to the backlash, the Ministry of Lands confirmed on Thursday that discussions regarding the property are ongoing.
Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir dismissed media reports as “misleading and sensational,” clarifying that structured negotiations are taking place with family representatives.
“Yes, we know Cheluget is deceased—that is public knowledge. However, we have held several meetings with family representatives, including former PS Nancy Kirui Cheluget and her brothers,” Korir stated.
The government maintains that the intended purchase of the land is part of a broader plan to resettle evictees from the Mau Forest while resolving historical land disputes.
By George Sayagie
