Displaced families clash with community over grazing land

By Vincent Mabatuk

Nakuru, Kenya: A row has erupted between Mau evictees who were resettled at the Majani Mingi farm in Rongai constituency last year and the hosting community.

The community living at the adjacent Makongeni farm threatened to eject the families from the farm over claims of blocking grazing fields.

“This is our land and no one is going to stop us from grazing our cattle here. This is the place we have grazed our livestock since time immemorial and any attempt to block the community will not be tolerated,” said Mr Kiborek Arap Chirchir a resident.

Chirchir said, there are about 6,000 squatters on the farm who have been embroiled in legal battles over the last fifteen years.

Area MP Raymond Moi (pictured) has also waded in the controversy which was allegedly sparked off by a fight by two men from the warring groups. During a stormy meeting at Makongeni area, the legislator said that it was wrong for the Mau evictees to harass the community that was hosting them.

“The two groups must live in peace but it is of great importance that the locals should be given first priority to purchase the land by the Government,” he said. 

Last year, the Government acquired the 3,200 acre farm from a sisal farmer, something Rongai residents opposed arguing that they should have been given priority in buying the land.

About 800 families from Mau have been resettled on the controversial farm including 330 post- election violence victims. Landless families in the area are also demanding to be resettled.

The Government, they said promised to allocate them 80 per cent of the farm but this has not been done yet.

The MP announced that the locals were willing to sell their animals in order to raise money to buy the whole farm. However, Moi called on the Government to intervene to solve the land conflict in the area.

He said land grievances have not been accorded serious attention yet its at the heart of the country’s nationhood.