The High Court has blocked the government from constructing multi-million housing units for the police on a contested parcel of land in Nairobi’s South C area.

The blockage is pending the hearing of a case filed by more than 600 Kenyans.

 High Court Judge Justice Oguttu Mboya issued the orders suspending plans for the construction of the houses, pending the determination of a case filed by a lobby group calling itself Wilson Mutumba Women Group comprising 635 members.

The government, through the Ministry of Lands, Public Works and Housing, invited investors to construct the houses in November in a development known as West Park Housing project.

The bidders are required to obtain their own financing to fund the construction of the houses and projects, while the government will provide the land plus tax incentives as provided under the Affordable Housing Program (AHP).

The houses will later be transferred to the National Police Service, which will manage the property in line with the Government Estates Management policies.

Further, the investor will recoup their money from monthly housing allowances, which will be remitted to the revenue collection account that will be opened.

However, the plans ran into headwinds after the group rushed to court, saying the 75-acre land belonged to them.

The members have been fighting with the government over the land since 2005.

“That for clarity, the intended development, design, building and construction shall not be commenced and if the same has been commenced, same shall not be continued with until further orders and directions of the court,” the court said.

The case will be heard on December 20 as he directed the group to advertise the caution in newspapers on the new development.

The group, through lawyer Ashford Mugwuku says they have obtained court decisions confirming that the land belongs to them but they have been unable to access the land.

The lawyer further said the National Land Commission affirmed their right over the contested land, and they have since moved to court to enforce the decision and remove the police from the houses they currently occupy.

Additionally, the group accuses the police of leasing part of the disputed land to China Bridge Corporation ltd for use as a campsite during the construction of the Nairobi Expressway project.

Another 30-acre portion hosts 595 maisonettes, which are currently being occupied by the police.

The initial cost of the project was Kes 866 million, but it was abandoned mid-course, forcing the government to hire new contractors, pushing the costs to Kes 3 billion.