Insurance broker Agnes Kagure, who describes herself as a dedicated mother, lead mentor, politician and philanthropist on Instagram, may have lost her bid to become the Nairobi deputy governor because of land grabbing allegations.
Governor Mike Sonko had in 2018 nominated her, alongside low-profile women to replace Polycarp Igathe as the deputy county boss, but damaging allegations of ongoing court cases, in which she is accused of forging documents to claim ownership of properties of deceased individuals.
She was a leading candidate, but Sonko never made the appointment after the allegations became public, perhaps fearing she would ruin his public commitment to go after land-grabbing cartels in the city.
One such case is 345 of 2018 whereby Ruth Wambui Kimani is battling Ms Kagure on a land grab case concerning 1 acre of land in Makadara, which had been owned by her late husband Kimani Mungai who had bought the same in 1997.
In the case, Ms Kagure shocked observers when she brought a much younger man claiming to be the deceased Mungai to support her.
This land at Makadara was occupied until ‘thugs’ chased away individuals who were occupying the property. The transfer with Mungai’s signature, occurring long after his death, was registered in very strange circumstances, sources familiar with the case say.
The other case, similar to the Makadara one, involves a Sh500 million estate in Karen, which belonged to Englishman Roger Robson, who died in August 2012.
Mr Robson’s lawyer, Guy Elms, says they drafted a will in 1997, in which the Englishman stated that his block of apartments in Upper Hill and 5-acres of land in Karen be sold and proceeds shared between his nephew and some charities working in the fields of education and environmental conservation. He was never married and did not have any children.
Soon after Robson’s death, several people came to claim ownership of the properties, including Martin Waluchio and Friedrich Pietz, gospel musician Ringtone, Leonard Omwenga, Meshack Masese and Sammy Lotasa. All their cases were thrown out by courts after they all failed to prove that they owned the property.
According to an investigation by Kenya Insights, the latest attempt at the 5-acre property was mounted by Ms Kagure, who in court documents says she bought the land for Sh100 million in 2011.
Experts have poked holes into Ms Kagure’s documents, including a claim that she paid the Sh100 million in cash, that she has a title deed (it’s with Habib Bank as security for a loan Robson had taken), a fake photo claiming to be Robson’s in the ‘sale agreement’, questionable tax returns by Kagure among others.
Mr Elms, the deceased’s lawyer (a claim confirmed by Robson’s brother in England), accuses Kagure of using her deep political connections to have him arrested and charged with forging his client’s will. He claims to have witnesses who can testify that he was given the responsibility of implementing the will.
A court ruling in 2015, by Justice Mary Gitumbi, barred Kagure from constructing a perimeter wall around the Karen property.
“An injunction is issued barring Agnes Kagure and her agents from laying claim, encroaching, trespassing or dealing with the land in the applicant’s possession,” Justice Gitumbi said, after lawyer Elms went to court.
There is also one Joel Munyoki Munene who is in court with Agnes Kagure at the environmental land court ELC case 65 of 2017, where Ms Kagure is accused of attempting to grab land.