Ogiek opposes decision to support them to grow food in forest

Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi. [File, Standard]

An indigenous community has opposed a decision by Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi to support the hunter-gatherer group to grow food inside a forest.

Through an environmental rights group, the Ogiek community living in Chepkitale Forest dismissed the MP's calls, saying their culture does not allow them to degrade their habitat.

On Saturday, while addressing a meeting at Chepyuk area, Kapondi asked the Ogiek community to embark on the cultivation of potatoes in a forest area so that they transform their lives. The forest is located in Bungoma County.

The MP pledged to allocate funds to enable the community to put up permanent structures and engage in farming activities within the forest.

"This financial year I am going to allocate money to support you engage in economic activities such as the cultivation of potatoes. You also need to erect permanent houses," he told the community.

But Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project CIPDP dismissed the MP's call and termed it as misplaced and divisive.

CIPDP Executive Director Peter Kitelo argued that the Ogiek community has for many years shunned cultivation in the areas, saying the destruction of the environment was a cultural taboo.

According to Kitelo, the Ogiek practiced beekeeping and herding of livestock for survival, and calls by the MP to shift to cultivation were against their norms.

Kitelo accused the MP of inciting the community against conservation agencies, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service.

"Our community is guided by traditional principles which discourage cultivation inside forests. We use traditional methods such as beekeeping, herding of livestock, and collection of vegetables to survive. These practices have enabled the community to have peace and harmony with KWS and KFS," he noted.

The officials accused the MP of plotting to cause conflict between the community and conservation agencies.

"The MP is out to divide the community and cause conflicts between Ogiek and conservation agencies with the ultimate agenda of wanting the community evicted from the area they are residing," he claimed.

Ogiek elders also raised concerns over the MPs push for the community to start cultivation activities.

Cosmas Murunga said the community is opposed to cultivation inside the forest.

"Our ancestors want us to selfishly protect the environment. We would not buy the idea by the MP to do farming in the forest because our ancestors would be unhappy," said Murunga.

He said cultivating in the forest would annoy their ancestors.

"We treasure our lands and forests. We don't want to provoke our ancestors since the consequences are severe," the elder said.

In 2022, the Ogiek won a landmark case against the gazettement of the core of their ancestral lands as a game reserve, Chepkitale National Reserve.

The community filed a case in the Environment and Land Court in 2008 to challenge the then Mt. Elgon County Council's decision to convert part of their ancestral lands, that is the North Kavirondo Native Land (ii) (Chepkitale Trust Land), into Chepkitale National Reserve through Legal Notice No. 88 of 2000.