Landowners protest subdivision of 10,000-acre ranch in Narok

Members of the Naikarra Community Group ranch protest over illegal subdivision of the ranch. [Robert Kiplagat, Standard]

A dispute has arisen over the allocation of a 10,000-acre ranch in Narok.

At least 500 members of the Naikarra Community Group ranch demonstrated over the weekend, alleging that the list of beneficiaries had been manipulated.

The protesters said the initial list had some 1,500 members, but it had now ballooned to 1,700.

Through their spokesperson Duncan Mako, the protesters said the list now includes some people from neighbouring Tanzania, who were not in the initial list.

Fresh subdivision

They asked the Ministry of Lands to intervene and order fresh subdivision. 

“We are demanding justice because we have been oppressed for long. We are perturbed that some new members have been added to the list through the backdoor without our knowledge," said Mr Mako.

The Naikarra Group members accused a committee picked to oversee the subdivision of selling parcels of land meant for public utilities.

“The committee also illegally created a 4,600-acre wildlife conservancy against the consent of all members,” said the members in a statement.

They said only Lands Cabinet Secretary Faridah Karoney, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigations can resolve the matter.

They accused Narok South Sub-county lands officials of colluding with the committee to manipulate the land list.