Governor to receive report on conflict

A task force formed to investigate clan clashes in Narok County has blamed biased issuance of title deeds for the violence.

Most of the clashes have occurred along the Nkararo-Enosoen border. In its report, the task force formed by Governor Samuel Tunai also cited double allocation of land along the border as a trigger for the violence.

The team headed by Peter Nakola, a local cleric, took six months to file its report. The report at the same time blames government officials for issuing members of one clan with land documents while ignoring other clans, therefore fuelling the violence.

The report that was handed to Narok County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti on Tuesday, also revealed that besides land grievances, disputes over boundaries, and local political tensions have also fuelled the border row that has raged on since 1976.

Mr Kimiti will present the report to Tunai who will decide on how it will be implemented. Bishop Nakola said despite a meeting of elders and leaders from the warring Maasai clans being called to solve the dispute, the violence has not ceased.

Last week, about 20 houses were torched in renewed clashes between the two clans over a 30-acre piece of land.

This prompted Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya to impose a fresh curfew at the border which now runs from 4pm to 5am.

Mr Natembeya also revealed that the government has allocated Sh1.7 million for surveying and processing of titles in the area.

"Once each individual gets his title deed, then we shall be dealing with individuals not clans anymore," said Natembeya.

The task force was also assertive that local politics that fuel the conflict need to be controlled.

"Some politicians are taking advantage of the conflict to spread hate messages," said John Mpurkoi, the secretary to the task force.