Nairobi, Kenya — Thursday, September 17, 2026
President William Ruto is facing explosive accusations of being Kenya’s ultimate “land grabber-in-chief” after the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) dramatically stormed Muthaiga Golf Club with armed officers and killer dogs, with critics accusing him of plotting the grabbing of the historic course.
The controversy erupted on Tuesday, September 15, when senior KFS officers moved onto the course and declared that eight holes of the Front Nine — from Hole No. 2 through Hole No. 9 — fall within the boundaries of Karura Forest. Club chairman Dennis Mwirigi informed members that KFS had “invaded the course and taken over access,” prompting the club to temporarily close the affected holes.
KFS has defended its action, stating that the disputed section — part of Land Reference Number 13134/3 — encroaches onto the gazetted Karura Forest by approximately 21.8 hectares. The agency said Karura Forest was gazetted as a forest reserve in 1932 and later declared a Central Forest in 1964, and that there is “no evidence of record to the effect proving legal occupation of the forest by the Club”. KFS further warned that “the recent claims of ownership may imply grabbing of public land by private interest”.
Muthaiga Golf Club’s representatives have claimed to hold a title deed for the disputed section. The club restored access to the affected holes hours after the initial takeover, with Mwirigi stating the board “remained committed to protecting the club’s interests, assets and members”.
The incident has escalated into a full-blown political firestorm, with critics directly accusing President Ruto of deploying KFS as a tool for land grabbing. In a scathing statement circulating widely online, the President was accused of turning his appetite for land onto private property, with the author invoking Kenya’s post-independence history to make their case.
“Mr. William, the colonial Governor never touched Muthaiga. President Jomo Kenyatta never touched the club. President Daniel arap Moi, despite having publicly expressed disdain for the game of golf, never touched any golf club in the country,” the statement read. “President Mwai Kibaki, whose legacy you are working day and night to destroy, played golf at Muthaiga.”
The statement also pointedly referenced the Parable of the Rich Fool from Luke 12:13–21, asking: “How much is enough, Mr. William Ruto? Please give Kenyans some breathing space!”
The controversy has drawn scrutiny beyond partisan lines. Prof Karanja, Chairperson of Friends of Karura Forest, criticised the manner in which KFS handled the dispute, saying the agency should have first engaged the club’s management and pursued dialogue and legal channels instead of deploying dogs, guns and heavy security. He warned that confrontational conduct by government agencies could lead the public to associate such actions directly with the government. “When government departments behave like this, everybody now starts thinking, oh, it’s Ruto’s whatever,” Prof Karanja said.
The dispute also comes amid a broader pattern of land controversies linked to the Ruto administration. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has previously accused Ruto of using the presidency to become a “dollar billionaire” through land acquisitions, while former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju claimed in March 2026 that the President was using goons to push him out of a Karen property.
Muthaiga Golf Club, established in the early 20th century during British colonial rule and named Kenya’s Best Golf Course at the 2025 World Golf Awards, has long been a symbol of Kenya’s elite sporting heritage. The institution sits on the edge of Karura Forest, one of the few gazetted forests within the capital city.
KFS has said a meeting will be held at its headquarters aimed at seeking an amicable solution to the conflicting ownership positions. However, for many Kenyans watching the standoff unfold, the question remains whether the forest agency’s action represents legitimate enforcement of public land protection — or, as critics allege, the latest front in a presidential campaign to seize private property for the benefit of the powerful.
