Former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Julius Karangi is facing new scrutiny as fresh allegations emerge linking him to the acquisition of private property under questionable circumstances.
The revelations come after journalist Levin Odhiambo Opiyo received a direct message from a concerned individual claiming that Karangi wrongfully acquired his late father’s land.
According to the message, the individual’s father, a senior clergyman, was battling cancer when Karangi allegedly took over the property with the assistance of lawyer Paul Ndung’u of the Ndung’u Land Commission.
Ndung’u of the Ndung’u Land Commission. The sender says that efforts to reclaim the land were dismissed directly by Karangi during a personal visit when he served as chairman of the Kenya Airports Authority.
The communication reportedly included derogatory remarks directed at the clergyman, which left the family deeply aggrieved.
The message quoted the clergyman in Kikuyu: “Múndú úría woyaga indo ciene agacitukaníra na ciake, ininaga indo ciake”, loosely translated as: “whoever takes another person’s properties and adds them to his, these properties belong to him.”
The remark shows the ethical and moral questions the family believes were violated.
This revelation adds a new dimension to ongoing legal battles involving Karangi, who has already been embroiled in multiple court cases in Nyeri over unpaid debts linked to his business dealings.
Suppliers and contractors have taken his companies to court, claiming that contracts personally guaranteed by Karangi were ignored after his health deteriorated.
Sources close to the family note that his illness has made it difficult for him to manage the businesses directly, creating gaps that allowed disputes to escalate.
The alleged land-grabbing claims raise concerns about the conduct of senior officials during and after public service, highlighting the vulnerabilities of citizens when facing powerful figures.
Screenshot of the Message from Levin Odhiambo Opiyo's Facebook Timeline.
While Karangi’s family has maintained that the former CDF is battling illness, the accusations suggest that some actions attributed to him continue to impact private citizens.
As court cases over unpaid debts continue to unfold, the emergence of property disputes threatens to further tarnish Karangi’s reputation.