Nairobi County Official Reportedly Falls Ill After Learning of Imminent Jail Sentence in Parklands Land Dispute

Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria did not appear in court on Tuesday, claiming illness after learning he could face a jail term following a contempt of court ruling in the ongoing land-use dispute in the Parklands area. The case relates to a conservatory order issued on March 5 2025, which restrained the county government and its planning committees from approving or processing development applications in Parklands until a proper physical and land-use plan was put in place. The court found Mosiria guilty of contempt for authorising tree removal and excavation along Jalaram Road in violation of the order. Through his lawyer Danstan Omari, Mosiria told the court he was “shocked” by the possibility of imprisonment and had been issued a four-day sick-off certificate. The Environment and Land Court agreed to hear his application challenging the contempt ruling before any mitigation or sentencing is conducted, although it declined to prioritise the matter, citing other pending cases. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has opened investigations into alleged forgery of documents submitted in the same land dispute, with detectives requesting certified copies of petition affidavits filed by the Parklands Residents Association and other parties.