Controversy erupts over land adjudication process in Baringo

Endorois elders point to land in Arabal where hundreds of families were displaced due to banditry attacks.[FILE/Standard]

For 73-year-old pastor Jonathan Kipkulei from Barwessa in Baringo North Sub-County, uncertainty has been a lifelong reality.

Despite having lived on his land for decades, he has never held a title deed. The lack of a land ownership document had left him distressed.

However, after a long wait, the government initiated the process of issuing titles to the locals.

President William Ruto, in August 2023 issued over 8,000 title deeds to residents of Baringo North, Central, and South in Kabartonjo.

President Ruto then stated that the government would employ an additional 100 land valuers to accelerate the titling programme.

Kipkulei said the process offered them a sigh of relief, but they soon realized their joy would be short-lived as disagreements arose during the adjudication and verification process.

He said this was the second time the process was being undertaken, as the first happened in 1986.

"The process is not going on as we expected, as for me, during verification, I learnt that part of the parcel I knew was mine has been excised and allocated to another person," Kipkulei said.

He said that as locals, they are having difficulty in filing for objections on the land due to the high cost, as a single objection costs Sh3,000.