Nairobi, April 28 -- The Environment and Land Court has blocked the Kiambu County government from forcing a private golf club to cede 20 acres of land, ruling that the move was unlawful and procedurally flawed.

In its judgment, the court held that the county acted outside the law by imposing the surrender as a condition for lease renewal without following statutory requirements.

The Kimani Wamatangi-led administration had argued that it needed the land to create public amenities, including a market, bus park, and public park, to serve Kiambu's growing population.

But the court ruled that "the duty to provide public amenities cannot be discharged by trampling on the rule of law." It faulted the county's approach as arbitrary and unconst...