How Certified Homes Conned Diaspora Kenyans with False Promises of Land Ownership and Undelivered Houses

by our reporter

The real estate firm, owned by Mr. Peter Nyaga, is facing allegations of misrepresentation, incomplete construction, and misleading land tenure claims.

The complainants — Elizabeth Wanguri, Caroline Ongito, and Eddah Wanjiku — say they were lured into the project through Facebook in early 2022.

Marketed as an exclusive gated community named Kenyan Women in the USA Gardens (KWITU), the project promised custom-designed three-bedroom houses specifically for Kenyans living in the U.S.

In April 2022, each woman paid KSh 5.5 million to Certified Homes. The sale agreement stated that the development stood on freehold land and that construction would be completed within a month of full payment.

However, more than two years later, construction remains incomplete, and it was discovered that the land is actually leasehold, contrary to what had been promised.

Court documents filed on April 10, 2024, reveal the plaintiffs were misled about the ownership status of parcels Donyo Sabuk/Komarock Block 1/450 and Block 1/58111, which were listed in their agreements.

The plaintiffs allege that Certified Homes falsely claimed to be the registered proprietor of the land and issued conflicting information in the letters of offer.

“The defendant, in false pretence, stated in the agreements for sale that they are the registered proprietors of the said land,” court filings read.

“The 1st plaintiff was informed the land was freehold, while the other two were told it was leasehold.”

In its defense, Certified Homes shifted responsibility to the buyers, claiming it is up to them to conduct due diligence before signing any sale agreements.

This is not the first time Peter Nyaga, formerly the CEO of Mahiga Homes Limited, has been associated with controversial real estate dealings. Both Mahiga and Certified Homes have drawn widespread complaints from diaspora and local investors over delayed or stalled projects.

Another group of buyers who invested in Certified Homes’ Sukari Heights project—a planned 10-storey apartment block in Kahawa Sukari—report similar experiences.

Despite paying KSh 5 million per two-bedroom unit, the project remains largely incomplete, years after initial payment.

With growing legal battles and public outcry, the scandal has reignited calls for urgent regulation and consumer protection in Kenya’s real estate sector, especially for diaspora Kenyans who remain vulnerable to fraudulent off-plan investment schemes.