Nairobi MCAs have clashed over the allocation of a four-acre parcel at Lang’ata Cemetery to the Muslim community, with members of the Lands, Planning and Housing Committee questioning the legality and procedure followed in the decision.
The disagreement emerged during a committee meeting on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, as ward representatives sought answers from Nairobi County officials over the status and use of the land.
The committee chairperson and Baba Dogo MCA Geoffrey Majiwa questioned how the additional land could be allocated for burials when the cemetery had previously been declared full.
“Are people going to be buried on top of others? This was unprocedural from the onset,” Majiwa said.
The MCAs also raised questions over the cemetery’s title deed, with County Secretary Machel Waikenda unable to state where the document was.
The controversy centres on a request by the Muslim community for additional space after the existing two-acre Muslim cemetery at Lang’ata was declared full.
However, documents presented to the committee show that the proposed four-acre extension had earlier been described by the county’s Public Health department as having an already full cemetery and swampy sections that were not suitable for burials.
In a memo dated May 15, 2026, the Chief Officer for Public Health nevertheless requested that the Muslim community be allocated an additional four acres.
The request followed an earlier memo from the County Executive Committee Member for Health, Wellness and Nutrition, dated March 5, 2026, which stated that the current Muslim cemetery at Lang’ata was full and needed to be extended by four acres.
The Chief Officer for Public Health subsequently wrote to the Lands Subsector on May 7, stating that the four-acre area contained a mass grave and swampy land that was not ideal for burial.
Despite the concerns, the Lands Subsector proceeded to demarcate eight acres for use by the Health, Wellness and Nutrition sector.
According to the county’s latest response, the land has not been transferred from the county. It remains county land held by the Health, Wellness and Nutrition Sector for use in line with the sector’s request.
The development triggered sharp divisions among the MCAs, with California MCA Hashim Kamau defending the allocation and siding with the county administration over the process.
Kamau argued that the Muslim community had been using a two-acre section and that adding four acres would provide adequate space for families seeking to give their relatives a dignified burial.
He maintained that the additional land was necessary to address the shortage of burial space affecting the Muslim community.
The committee, however, is seeking clarity on how the allocation was made, the legal status of the land and whether the necessary procedures were followed.
The county documents indicate that the allocation followed requests from the Health, Wellness and Nutrition department rather than a direct transfer of ownership to the Muslim community.
The Lands, Planning and Housing Committee is expected to continue examining the matter as it seeks answers on the cemetery’s title, the status of the additional land and the suitability of the proposed burial area.
The dispute comes as Nairobi County faces growing pressure over limited public land for cemeteries and other essential services, with MCAs increasingly demanding greater accountability in the management and allocation of county land.
