The heat around Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif has intensified after the Environment and Land Court froze his Nairobi property in a sweeping anti-corruption move. Acting on an application by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the court barred the governor from accessing, selling, developing, or interfering with prime land in Parklands.
Investigators believe the land was meant for a public school but ended up in private hands. Now, under preservation orders, the property sits at the center of the growing Mandera Governor Khalif scandals. The ruling marks a sharp escalation in the probe and signals serious legal trouble ahead for the county chief.
According to court documents issued on Wednesday, February 11, Justice T. Murigi granted preservation orders against property known as LR No. 209/12670. The judge stopped Governor Khalif, his agents, servants, or any other person from entering, encroaching, excavating, constructing, developing, occupying, selling, transferring, charging, or in any way dealing with the land.
The court invoked Section 56(3) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act. The law allows temporary freezing of assets suspected to be linked to corruption while investigations continue.
Justice Murigi directed that the matter will be heard inter partes on March 5, 2026. Until then, the governor and the other respondents must stay away from the property.
Mandera Governor Khalif Scandals Linked to Disputed Public Land
The EACC told the court that the disputed land was originally reserved for a public school. Authorities had set it aside for education purposes. However, the land was later subdivided and allocated for private residential use.
Investigators argue that the subdivision and allocation violated the law. The commission claims Governor Khalif fraudulently acquired 0.1581 hectares of the land in 2021 and registered it as LR No. 209/12673. The EACC also named one company and three individuals as co-respondents in the case. The court barred all of them from accessing or dealing with the property for six months.
Court documents further reveal that the land commissioner who approved the subdivision decades ago lacked authority to issue title deeds over the parcels in question. That detail raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the entire process that converted public land into private property.
The EACC insists that the land never lawfully changed its status from public utility to private ownership. If proven, that finding could nullify all subsequent transactions, including the governor’s alleged acquisition.
The preservation orders now give investigators breathing space. They prevent any sale, transfer, or development that could complicate recovery efforts.
Court Orders Lock Out Governor and Associates
Justice Murigi’s order leaves no room for ambiguity. The court expressly prohibited the first respondent and any associated persons from entering or dealing with the land in any way. The ruling effectively locks out Governor Khalif and freezes any activity on the property for the next six months.
This legal shield protects the asset while the EACC builds its case. The commission had moved to court on January 26 seeking urgent intervention. It argued that without preservation orders, the property risked being sold or altered, making recovery difficult if the court later finds it was illegally acquired.
By granting the orders, the court signaled that the EACC presented sufficient grounds to justify temporary protection of the property. The case now heads to a full hearing in March, where both sides will present arguments.
EACC Pushes for Restitution of Public Property
The EACC has made its intentions clear. It wants the land returned to the public. Through its advocate, the commission told the court that it is conducting investigations with a view to instituting proceedings for restitution. It aims to restore the property to its original purpose as public land reserved for a school.
“The Applicant is carrying out investigations with a view to, inter alia, instituting proceedings for restitution of the said properties to the public for the intended public utility for which they were originally reserved,” the EACC’s lawyer said in court filings.
That statement underscores the broader stakes in the Mandera Governor Khalif scandals. This is not just about a single parcel of land. It is about the protection of public resources and the integrity of land administration.
Land grabbing remains one of Kenya’s most persistent corruption challenges. Public utilities such as schools, hospitals, and playgrounds often become prime targets for illegal allocation.
If the court ultimately finds that the land was unlawfully subdivided and transferred, it could pave the way for cancellation of titles and recovery of the property.
For Governor Khalif, the preservation orders mark a serious reputational and legal setback. Although the court has not made a final determination, the freeze places his Nairobi flats under intense public scrutiny.
