Farmer PS and spouse faced legal charges for supposedly obstructing a public road access
Dispute over Access Road Continues in Kericho
The legal battle between Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh and his wife, Betty Chepkorir, and their neighbours in Kericho County is far from over. The neighbours, Kipsuge Soi, Caroline Soi, Koskei Kiprotich, and unspecified others, have accused the couple of obstructing an access road leading to their homes [1].
The access road in question is a crucial route used by the neighbours to reach their properties. It is marked and identified on the Registry Index Map for the area and forms part of the legal access network as per the Physical and Land Use Planning Act. The road, established in 2004, was purchased by Soi and his wife, but it runs through a parcel of land, KERICHO/CHEPSIR S.S/20, owned by Ronoh and his wife [2].
The neighbours claim that Ronoh and his wife have obstructed the access road, an allegation that the couple disputes. The neighbours have stated that their requests for Ronoh and his wife to cease interfering with the access road have been ignored, leading to anxiety, stress, damage, and loss [3].
On January 6, 2025, Ronoh's wife is alleged to have blocked the access road using wooden posts, barbed wire, and tree branches [4]. The neighbours have filed a lawsuit against Ronoh and his wife, accusing them of obstructing the access road and causing them distress [1].
The site visit, scheduled for September 4, 2025, aims to provide guidance to the court regarding the location and status of the suit parcels. The County Surveyor, Kericho, and/or the District Land Registrar will be present during the site visit to help clarify the situation [5]. The visit is intended to be conducted in accordance with the consent of the parties, but as of now, the parties have not given their consent [6].
The parcels of land involved in the dispute are situated in the Chepsir area within Kericho County. Kiprotich obtained registration of his parcel of land, KERICHO/CHEPSIR 506, on October 28, 2020, while Soi and his wife obtained registration as proprietors of their parcels of land on March 31, 2004, and September 1, 2006 [2]. The neighbours are registered owners of three parcels of land: KERICHO/CHEPSIR S. S/204, KERICHO/CHEPSIR S. S/155, and KERICHO/CHEPSIR 506 [7].
The temporary orders restraining the PS and his wife from obstructing the use of the access road were issued by Principal Magistrate F M Nyakundi on February 20, 2025 [8]. The case is ongoing, and no further specific rulings or court dates are detailed in the available information.
[1] https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001395347/agric-ps-ronoh-in-court-over-obstructing-access-road [2] https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/09/access-road-dispute-between-kericho-agric-ps-and-neighbours-heads-to-court/ [3] https://www.nation.co.ke/news/agric-principal-secretary-ronoh-facing-access-road-dispute-with-neighbours/1066-6190928-15jb76d/index.html [4] https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001395347/agric-ps-ronoh-in-court-over-obstructing-access-road [5] https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/09/access-road-dispute-between-kericho-agric-ps-and-neighbours-heads-to-court/ [6] https://www.nation.co.ke/news/agric-principal-secretary-ronoh-facing-access-road-dispute-with-neighbours/1066-6190928-15jb76d/index.html [7] https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/09/access-road-dispute-between-kericho-agric-ps-and-neighbours-heads-to-court/ [8] https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001395347/agric-ps-ronoh-in-court-over-obstructing-access-road
- The legal dispute between Paul Ronoh, a Principal Secretary in the Agriculture sector, and his neighbours in Kericho County extends beyond politics, its ramifications now intertwining with business and real-estate matters.
- With the neighbouring properties relying on the access road in contention for daily operations, the dispute has drawn the attention of financial institutions, as investing in the area seems precarious due to the ongoing legal battle.
- The ongoing legal spat, concerning obstruction of an access road established in 2004, has triggered a flurry of discussions in financial and investing circles, spotlighting the complexities of property rights and access in real-estate transactions in Kericho County.
