Narok land conflicts cast shadow on Ruto's tour of South Rift region

Residents of Angata Barikoi during a meeting attended by Inspector general of Police Douglas Kanja, senator majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Former Bomeet Governor Isaac Ruto, Belgut Mo Nelson Koech and Emurua Dikirr Mp Johanna Ngeno at Angata Barikoi. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Land conflicts threaten to overshadow President William Ruto's planned tour of Narok County. The tour is scheduled to begin today. This is after his name was linked to a dispute over a 6,300-acre parcel in Angata Barikoi, Trans Mara South, that led to the death of six people including an eight-year-old girl. The clashes, rooted in competing claims of ancestral rights, also left dozens people injured, including two police officers and a land registrar. The turmoil has heightened pressure on the President to publicly address his alleged connection to the land, which residents claim he acquired from a local politician. "Now that the President is visiting Narok, it is the best chance for him to clear his name and address the matter so that we stop losing lives over this conflict," said Johanna Kamilan, a resident of Trans Mara South. Ruto's name emerged during a public baraza at Ang'ata Barikoi Primary School, where Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja led senior security officials in a bid to quell the violence. Fear in the area has been worsened by another incident on Friday night, when six acres of sugarcane plantation belonging to Angata Sugar Factory were destroyed in a suspected arson attack. Ngendalel Location Chief Leonard Langat confirmed the blaze, saying it is believed some unknown people had set the plantation on fire. The raid occurred just days after deadly clashes in the area left several people dead, prompting a high-level visit by the Inspector General of Police to the volatile region. Following the visit, GSU officers were reportedly ordered to withdraw from the camp, a move that appears to have emboldened the attackers. Tension has heightened in the area after a group of armed individuals from neighbouring Migori County raided a deserted General Service Unit camp in Ang'ata Barikoi on Thursday evening, looting and vandalizing property left behind by security personnel following the directive by the IG. Residents are also urging the President to intervene in a separate dispute involving 4,700 acres of land within the Maasai Mara ecosystem, reportedly grabbed by a member of a political family. Despite a court ruling in favour of the individual, locals want Ruto to step in. "Even though the matter is in court, the President should intervene and help the Narok County government avoid losing this land, which generates significant revenue for both the county and the Maasai community," said youth leader Joseph Santito. In his tour, the President is expected to launch the upgrade of the Ewaso-Nyiro Airstrip to international airport status. The project is aimed at boosting tourism, trade, and regional connectivity. Located in Oloisiusiu, near the Ewuaso Ngiro trading center on the Narok-Maasai Mara road, the airport is expected to serve as a key entry point to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu, who has championed the initiative, confirmed that over 400 acres had been secured for the project. "This is a flagship infrastructure initiative for Narok. We are grateful for the President's continued support," Ntutu said. The new airport is also intended to reduce the environmental impact of tourism in the Mara by consolidating the multiple small airstrips currently in use. Conservationists have raised concern over the disruption to wildlife caused by more than 30 daily aircraft landings at airstrips including Keekorok, Serena, Ol Kiombo, Musiara, Ngerende, Mara North, and Siana Conservancy. "These airstrips are a wildlife nuisance. Once the international airport is operational, we plan to shut them down," said the Governor. The airport is expected to create a ripple effect in the local economy, boosting demand for taxis, tour vans, hospitality, and retail services in Narok Town and the broader region. During the tour, the President will launch and inspect several key projects across the county. In Emurua Dikirr, he is scheduled to issue title deeds and launch the construction of the Shartuka-Gorgor road. In Narok South, he will unveil the Sh3.8 billion, 30-kilometre Sogoo-Melelo-Ololung'a road, the Sh300 million Sogoo Level 4 Hospital, and the Sh30 million Amalo Sub-County Administration Offices. In Narok West, the President will commission the 63-kilometre Ngosuani-Morjo road, worth Sh4.8 billion, and inspect ongoing work at the Sh40 million Deputy County Commissioner's office. He will also tour key agricultural markets in Suswa, Ntulele, and Narok Town and assess expansion efforts at the Ewuaso Ngiro South Development Authority tannery. The tour, initially slated for April, was postponed and later confirmed after a State House consultative meeting with Narok leaders.

Narok land conflicts cast shadow on Ruto's tour of South Rift region

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