By Beauttah Omanga

Delay in resolving a standoff over the ownership of Banita Settlement Scheme in Nakuru County is being blamed for the recent skirmishes that left four residents with arrow injuries.

A photograph of a resident being rushed to hospital with an arrow still lodged on his left arm carried in some local dailies left many Kenyans in shock, even as the Government seemed unperturbed.

Late last year, a similar incident occurred at the same place when bereaved relatives also tried to bury a kinsman on the same land.

The latest incident that has sparked off tension in the area was as a result of a decision by relatives of a man who died a few days early to bury him on the disputed land.

The relatives of Francis Mwangi Ibrahim sought the assistance of the Rongai DC Joseph Motari who reportedly assured them of security promising to have police officers escort them to the site.

Disputed land

The DC said he directed his juniors and the police to provide security. But later area DO Carol Mbai discouraged them from burying the dead on the disputed land, citing court orders.

Although immediate family members agreed in her presence not to bury Ibrahim on the land, villagers and other relatives proceeded to the burial site only to be repulsed by armed youth.

The mourners then carried the body and dumped it at the Banita patrol base accusing police of failing to provide them with security as promised by the DC.

Area OCPD Jecinta Wesonga arrived at the scene but insisted the burial was improper because there was a court order barring any activity on the disputed land.

Dead body with police

Police later returned his body to the Nakuru Municipal Mortuary to await further directions. Tension has since remained high at the controversial Settlement Scheme in Rongai.

Armed security officers have been patrolling the 14,000-acre piece of land with the OCPD saying no suspect has been arrested so far.

The 14,000-acre piece of land was acquired by the Government from a white farmer with the aim of settling squatters. However, the move has led to a protracted row pitting two dominant communities with claims that outsiders were benefiting from the land at the expense of the residents.

They claim outsiders were brought to the farm and allocated land as they watched.

In September last year, the aggrieved squatters got a reprieve when they moved to court demanding vetting of the squatters to determine the genuine squatters and got orders stopping any activities on the land.

While they cling on the orders which they cite for barring the burial, those allotees say they have a right to bury relatives on the land.

The 222 squatters had sued the minister for Lands, his Permanent Secretary, Commissioner for Lands, the director land adjudication and settlement, the Attorney General and the Nakuru District Land Registrar over double allocation of their settlement scheme.

Sworn affidavit

Through their lawyer Kipkoech Ng’etich, the group claimed they had occupied the land since 1960s and were finally allocated the land in 2001 by the Government.

In an affidavit sworn by one of the petitioners, Patrick Kimutai, the squatters alleged that when Narc replaced the Kanu Government in 2003, land officials overturned the earlier allotment and issued new allotment letters to other people, a move that rendered them landless.

In the mean time, tension remains high as the Government watches with residents waiting for the vetting of the beneficiaries of the resettlement exercise.

Area OCPD said they were waiting for those injured during the incident to record statements and indicate whether they could be able to identify their assailants.

“We have not arrested anybody so far and we are waiting to see if those injured will identify those responsible,” the OCPD said adding that the patrols will continue.

In the latest standoff, the OCPD dismissed criticism levelled against her officers for failing to provide security during the burial ceremony, which led to the clashes.

Ms Wesonga said the piece of land where the deceased was to be buried belonged to his brother and was not his as claimed by the residents. Members of the Provincial Administration in Rongai District appeared divided over whether the deceased should have been buried at the farm or not.