The battle over 50,000 acres of Chakama Ranch, located deep within Shakahola Forest, worsens as more companies claim it.

This arose after the Chakama Ranch Limited's owners, led by its directors, came forward to claim possession of the land.

This includes a title deed number 17503 granted on December 1, 1984, by the then-municipality of West Malindi, now Kilifi County, according to papers seen by Citizen Digital. They purchased 100,000 acres through Chakama Ranch Limited.

According to Alfred Mwathethe, Secretary General of Chakama Ranch Limited, "Sisi ndio wamiliki halisi, yeyote anayetaka kusema ni yake atoe ushahidi."

PHOTO | COURTESY pastor Mackenzie


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The area was divided between Chakama Ranch and the government, which is believed to have purchased 50,000 acres to settle squatters under land registration number 13472; the directors claim to hold 50,000 acres deep within the Shakahola Forest.

The directors claim to have leased 30,000 acres to an investor who took out a Ksh.60 million loan and failed to repay it, leaving them with a Ksh.80 million debt to the bank.

During his most recent visit to Shakahola Forest, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki met with the directors of Chakama Ranch to learn who owns the land and how notorious cult leader Paul Mackenzie obtained it.

PHOTO | COURTESY shakahola burial ground
Mackenzie encroached on Chakama Ranch Limited's territory in 2021, according to Chakama Ranch Limited. They reported the incident to Lango Baya Police Station at 12.02 p.m. using OB number 04/04/08/2021, but no action was taken.

They claim they had plans to invest in the 20,000 acres left in June 2023, but after the Shakahola disaster and the curfew enforced on the 100,000-acre piece of property, their plans have been jeopardized, and they are now requesting that the government allow them access to the 20,000 acres.

Mr Yeri, who served as a Member of Parliament for the then Malindi North Constituency, now Magarini Constituency, from 1974 to 1983, has also distanced himself from elders in Shakahola's accusations that he supported Chakama Ranch Limited