FACT CHECK: Did Foreigners Really Buy Nakuru City?

Viral claims doing rounds on the web assert that the city of Nakuru was “sold” to BlackRock and 500,000 Israelis in a sweeping narrative that incorporates a property development video, a corporate visit to BlackRock, and inflammatory social media posts.

The claims indicate that there was a sale or transfer agreement between the global asset management firm BlackRock and Israeli settlers who have settled in Kenya.

The allegations point towards three different components: a video on an Israeli-owned property in Solai, Nakuru County; a documented visit to BlackRock and Standard Chartered Kenya; and a claim from a South African businessman that the city of Nakuru was “bought.”

After reviewing publicly available records and news reports, there is no evidence that the city of Nakuru was sold to BlackRock or any other foreign entity.

There is no parliamentary approval, notice in the gazette, or executive order to suggest that any city in Kenya was sold to private foreign entities.

The Solai Development Project

This viral story may have been fueled by a video of an Israeli developer talking about his large-scale agricultural and residential project in Solai, in Nakuru County.

In fact, this story was featured in some of the local news publications, including The Standard.

Even though this project received considerable public attention, criticism from the community, and overall media coverage, it is important to remember that this is still a private real estate and agricultural enterprise.

There is no evidence to suggest this was a sale of sovereign land to an individual or individuals.

Purchasing land privately, both by locals and foreigners, is a different process than selling an entire city.

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BlackRock’s Visit to Kenya

It has been alleged that BlackRock made a trip to Kenya.

Standard Chartered Bank has made public postings documenting that BlackRock had representatives participate in a professional engagement hosted by Standard Chartered Bank.

This engagement was described as an engagement to facilitate business-to-business investment and training.

BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world with trillions of dollars of assets managed worldwide.

The majority of its business activities centre on the management of fund and investment assets for institutional clients.

To date, there is no legitimate reporting or official disclosure to support that BlackRock acquired land title in Nakuru City or engaged in any other land acquisition in Kenya.

Corporate visits and investment forums are a routine part of the Kenyan financial services industry’s relationship with foreign financial institutions.

There is no land registry, government communication or public filing indicating that BlackRock’s visit was connected to a purchase of Nakuru City.

Concerning the Legal Context: Is it Possible to Sell a City?

According to Kenya’s Constitution and the Land Act, Kenya has distinguished different types of land ownership: Public, Community, and Private.

Transfer of Public land can only be transferred under strict legal channels through either of the National Government or the County Governments.

The outright sale of a city in Kenya to a Foreign/Private Organisation falls outside of any existing legal framework.

Transfers of Public land can only take place if the transfer is Statutory; Registered; and then subject to Oversight mechanisms.

The type of transaction can only be conducted if there was Legislative Movement in regards to the transaction and ample public documentation associated with it; in this instance, there has been no such legislation passed or type of documentation available.

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The “Narrative of the 500,000 Settlers”

There is no empirical evidence, support from government agency statements, or reputable sources of international reporting confirming that half a million Israeli settlers are migrating to Nakuru, Kenya.

According to the immigration laws of Kenya, it is required for individuals to apply for and be granted a visa or permit in order to legally live and work in the country.

Furthermore, the Kenyan government has not made a public announcement regarding a mass immigration program.

Moreover, the images that depict this claim (which have become viral) come from one person from South Africa who has done several publicly reported posts; however, no independent verification or credible sources currently exist that confirm the allegations concerning groups of settlers moving together to BlackRock or the Solai Development.

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Standard Chartered Bank building in Nairobi CBD. PHOTO/NMG