Take care with language on land and minorities

Reports that land reform at the coast is predicated on pitting the indigenous populations against Arab landowners are disturbing. In the language of Lands Minister James Orengo and the landmark Draft National Land Policy, it is "indigenous Kenyans" — not ‘citizens’ mark you — for whom land in the Ten Mile strip that is held by absentee landlords will be converted to community land. And these landlords, we are told, are Arab.

President Kibaki did promise in 2006, like others before him, to address the coastal strip’s absentee landlord problem. And this is a plan that has Cabinet backing. But it is common knowledge that the holders of land in the strip do include absentee British citizens and local politicians along with Arabs. And that there are citizens of Arab descent either in as much need of land as the "indigenous" squatters or holding land legally but under threat from invasion.

There can be no justification for discriminating against Kenyan citizens on the basis of race. Thus we presume the policy takes this into account and it it the political statements about it that are less nuanced. The minister and others pushing for reform should be wary of whipping up tensions as loose definitions of what is foreign could see law-abiding citizens put in harms way.

Trample rights

When identifying ‘absentees’, we must be sure to include even the indigenous. And when dealing with squatters, to be blind to race or ethnicity. Land reform has to address historical issues without trampling on the rights of the citizen, whatever his race.

 

 

Read all about: Squatter Draft Constitution

 

 

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