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Equity Bank Group CEO James Mwangi has lost his attempt to stop enforcement of a High Court judgment in a Sh1 billion (about $7.8 million) land dispute in Nairobi’s Muthaiga area, with appellate judges ordering him to post Sh10 million (about $78,000) as security while his appeal moves ahead.
The Court of Appeal declined to grant a stay of execution of a decision delivered by the Environment and Land Court in October 2025. The ruling left Mwangi exposed to possible execution steps, even as he challenges the outcome on appeal.
Instead, the judges directed that the status quo on the disputed property be maintained and required Mwangi to place Sh10 million (about $78,000) in an interest earning joint account held by lawyers for both sides within 60 days. The court said the deposit would protect the respondent if Mwangi’s appeal fails.
The decision was delivered in Nairobi on Feb. 4, 2026, by a bench led by Court of Appeal President Daniel Musinga, with Judges Patrick Kiage and Aggrey Muchelule. The judges recorded a consent between Mwangi, his wife Jane Wangui Mwangi and Mount Pleasant Limited that effectively freezes any dealings with the land as the appeal proceeds.
The dispute traces back to a judgment by Environment and Land Court Judge Obaga Angote in ELC Case No. E038 of 2020, delivered on Oct. 23, 2025. In that decision, the court made findings on the ownership and registration of the property in favor of Mount Pleasant Limited, setting the stage for the appeal now before the higher court.
In addition to the security requirement, the appellate judges ordered that the appeal be fast tracked. They directed the parties to attend a case management conference within 30 days and to file written submissions and authorities ahead of the hearing, signaling an intent to move the matter quickly through the court system.
While Equity Bank is not a party to the proceedings, the case has drawn attention because of Mwangi’s public profile and his long tenure at one of Kenya’s largest lenders. The fight is being framed as a private land dispute, but its headline value has been amplified by the stature of the people involved and the size of the claimed loss, Sh1 billion (about $7.8 million).
Mount Pleasant Limited is contesting ownership of the Muthaiga property against the Mwangi family. The Chief Land Registrar and the National Land Commission are also listed in the case, following allegations of irregularities in how the land was registered and how title records were handled over time.
The Court of Appeal will now focus on whether the Environment and Land Court was right on questions of title, registration and compliance with land laws. Mwangi must meet the Sh10 million (about $78,000) security condition and keep the property unchanged until the appeal is heard and determined.
