Residents of Standard Media Group Sacco Seek DCI Probe Over Disputed Machakos Land Documents » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 16 – Residents of Standard Media Group Sacco in Mavoko Sub-County have petitioned the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the authenticity of documents from the Machakos County Lands Office, citing concerns of fraud and forgery that have fueled a dispute with their neighbours at Arusha Court.
In a formal complaint addressed to the DCI’s Mavoko office, the residents of Standard Court (Block 25) allege that questionable land records have been used to justify the creation of a public road through their gated community—an action they claim has caused anguish and unnecessary conflict.
“The Machakos Lands Office has insisted on creating a public road through our private estate. Some officials appear to have vested interests, and their impartiality is now in question,” said Martin Mutua, Chairperson of Standard Court Residents, in the letter.
At the heart of the dispute are two survey reports—one from 2017 and another from December 2024—which residents claim contain glaring inconsistencies. The 2017 report allegedly measured the disputed road at 4 meters wide, while the 2024 report states it is now 9 meters wide. Furthermore, the earlier report was addressed only to Arusha Court residents, raising concerns that Standard Court was deliberately sidelined.
In 2017, a meeting convened at the Deputy County Commissioner’s (DCC) office in Athi River dismissed the claim of a public road. An arbitrator later ruled that no such access road existed, prompting Arusha Court residents to use an alternative shortcut through Wema Court. However, after another dispute, Wema residents blocked access, reigniting the push for a road through Standard Court.
Residents are now questioning the legitimacy of the documents and seeking an investigation into whether officials at the Machakos Lands Office manipulated records to justify the road’s existence.
“We request the DCI to obtain the minutes and attendance register from past meetings, verify survey coordinates, and review the maps used to justify the decision. The excessive impunity displayed by the Lands Office has created an unnecessary conflict between the two courts,” the letter reads.
The residents maintain that Arusha Court already has two access roads leading to public roads and accuse the Machakos Lands Office of fueling a non-existent dispute. They are now calling on authorities to intervene before tensions escalate further.
The DCI is yet to issue a formal response to the petition.