The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has reclaimed 12 prime public land parcels valued at Sh320 million in Kakamega and Bungoma counties.

The properties, which included government housing units, had been illegally taken over by private individuals in collusion with corrupt public officials.

EACC confirmed the assets have now been handed back to the rightful government institutions.

The parcels were originally owned by agencies such as the State Department for Housing, the Judiciary, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Railways, and the National Treasury.

Beyond the recovered land, the commission is investigating an additional 56 parcels suspected to have been fraudulently acquired in the region.

Speaking during a regional security forum held at Mumias Cultural Centre in Kakamega, the EACC Western Regional Manager Eric Ngumbi, expressed concern over a rising trend of land grabbing across Western Kenya.

He said some developers were using fake title deeds to claim public land and then using those documents to secure bank loans.

The Western region under EACC’s jurisdiction includes Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, and Vihiga counties.

The security forum brought together senior officers from Regional, County, and Sub-County Security Committees, including County Commissioners, Police Commanders, and DCI officers.

It was led by Western Regional Commissioner Samson Macharia, who urged administrators to step up oversight in their areas.

Macharia called for joint efforts to tackle corruption, especially involving public land, and emphasized the need for integrity and coordination between agencies, particularly with EACC.

EACC has reiterated that recovering stolen public property remains a top priority and warned that legal action will follow against anyone found to have obtained government land through fraudulent means.