Kakuzi Plc has returned to the Supreme Court seeking a review of its judgment dismissing its appeal over a 72-acre parcel of land occupied by Makuyu Club. The dispute on November 11, 2026, has been in Kenya’s courts since 2002. The Supreme Court ruling in October upheld the club’s ownership through adverse possession.
A review asks a court to reconsider its own judgment. Kakuzi’s application follows the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss its appeal, which was reported on October 24, 2026. The application does not reopen the appeal itself and it will be decided by the court on its own terms.
The land is a 72-acre parcel, or about 29.1 hectares, that forms part of Land Reference Number 11674 in Murang’a County. The Makuyu Club uses it as a golf course and has built permanent structures there, including a clubhouse, a borehole and a bar. Kakuzi argues that the parcel originally belonged to Sisal Limited and was granted to it under a long lease from 1966.
The club’s case rests on adverse possession. Its trustees say members have used the land openly since 1934, and that Kakuzi’s title was extinguished by the passage of time. Kakuzi, for its part, argues that club members used the land with its express knowledge and consent.
The Environment and Land Court in Thika ruled for the club in October 2019, with Justice Oscar Angote finding that Kakuzi’s title had been extinguished. Kakuzi appealed, and the Court of Appeal upheld the club’s ownership in November 2024. A Supreme Court bench later suspended the lower court ruling while a second appeal was heard, before dismissing the appeal in October 2026.
The club has used court orders to press its position. Its officials previously sought to have Kakuzi’s directors jailed for disobeying the judgment, while Kakuzi had obtained an order suspending the ruling pending appeal. Those disputes show how the case has moved between enforcement and appeals over many years.
The 72 acres are a small share of Kakuzi’s landholdings, which exceed 12,000 acres. The company has faced larger land disputes elsewhere. In April 2026, the Environment and Land Court declined to block a National Land Commission recommendation requiring the company to surrender about 3,200 acres to settlers, a ruling Kakuzi has appealed.
The company’s financial position is also under pressure. Kakuzi has warned investors that its 2026 profit will fall sharply as macadamia prices slump, adding to the financial importance of its landholdings and the cost of protracted litigation.
The next signal will be the Supreme Court’s decision on the review application, which will determine whether the club’s ownership stands. The outcome will also matter for other landowners, since the case shows how long-standing use can override a registered title.
