Court Orders Police to Expedite Eviction of MP Maryanne Keitany from CS Linturi’s Runda Home

A Nairobi court has ordered police to expedite the eviction of Aldai MP Maryanne Keitany from Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi’s home.

While issuing the order on Monday, Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Micheni said the court considered the previous order dated September 27th, 2022, and a ruling by Justice Maureen Odero dated January 20th.

“It is hereby ordered that the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Runda Police Station, Nairobi or any other officer from the said station of the rank above an Assistant Inspector of police be and is hereby ordered to provide security and police assistance in evicting Hon. Maryanne Jebet Keitany from House Number 16 Mae Ridge County Villas on LR No. 7785/1324 (IR NO123703) situate in Runda Estate Nairobi,” the court order reads.

Last month, Linturi received the green light to evict Keitany from his mansion in Runda, Nairobi. This was after High Court judge Maureen Odero dismissed Keitany’s appeal to be allowed to continue occupying the house.

The first-time MP wanted the High Court to quash a decision by Chief Magistrate Heston Nyagah to allow Linturi to kick her out of the house after finding that the two were not married. 

Justice Odero noted that she has no jurisdiction to handle the matter following the dismissal of the same application by the Appeals Court.

Last September, magistrate Nyagah dismissed a divorce case filed by Keitany, who moved to court seeking protection after Linturi kicked her out of his house.

The magistrate ruled that Keitany failed to prove that she was legally married to Linturi, noting that the doctrine of common law marriage is no longer applicable in Kenya and that customary law marriage is not a one event or single-ceremony matter.

The court noted that Linturi was in a monogamous marriage with one Mercy Kaimenyi, hence could not hold any other form of marriage including polygamy.

“Mithika Linturi could not contract a Nandi customary marriage or any other form of marital union with Maryanne Keitany. The customary law union alluded to by Maryanne Keitany would not suffice as a marriage under the laws of Kenya,” reads the ruling.

Keitany, who clinched the Aldai parliamentary seat in the August 9th, 2020 election, maintains she is lawfully married to Linturi.