The high court in Eldoret has declined a request by the State to postpone a petition filed by a Muslim youth group official compelling it to facilitate access to all information regarding several parcels of land worth millions of shillings belonging to the Muslim Association committee in Eldoret.
The petition filed in court by the secretary general of North Rift Youth Daawa group, Jamal Diriwo Omar wants the court to order the state entities, (the Attorney General, National Land Commission, and Eldoret Land Registrar), to facilitate his access to the properties that are spread across Uasin Gishu County.
Two splinter groups of Muslims have been entangled in a vicious court tussle over ownership of the association’s properties worth more than Sh. 1 billion in Eldoret town and its environs.
The properties under ownership dispute between the North Rift Youth Daawa group and the embattled Muslim Association are spread within the town’s central business district and Elgon View estate.
The multi-billion shilling properties include several bank accounts, a prime six acres piece of land in the affluent Elgon View estate, a commercial building in town, several primary and secondary schools, and several rental plots in pioneer estate.
Others are Eldoret municipality Block 5/205, Block 5/749, Block 6/100, Block 6/104, Block 6/110, Block 6/113, Block 6/114, Block 6/117, and Block 6/98.
This was after Omar’s attempt to access information regarding the ownership of the said properties was thwarted by a splitter group, Eldoret Muslim Association, despite several requests through court orders.
Omar sued the splinter group in court two years ago after it refused him access to all the information pertaining to the properties under the ownership of the Muslim association committee in Eldoret.
Justice Eric Ogola, while presiding over the matter declined to defer it any further saying it has taken long to hear and determine, and that it needs to be hastened for the sake of justice.
“The respondents in this matter had requested for adjournment of the case in previous hearings and it would not be fair to continue delaying the same any further,” argued Ogola.
Justice Ogola has consequently directed the respondents to file their submissions within seven days and serve them to the petitioner.
“In the same vein, the petitioner should also file his submission and serve it to the respondents within the same period pending determination of the matter,” ruled Ogola
