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Land Clashes Imminent
Sunday Standard Team
Kenia
October 24, 2004
Cases of double allocation of land at Gachembe Settlement Scheme in Nakuru District could result in another round of land clashes.
Tension is high at the farm in Mau Narok, which borders the expansive Sansora and Muthera farms near Tipis Trading Centre. Some 600 people, who were settled on 834 acres in 1968, have armed themselves against another group that claims to be in possession of title deeds for the land.
Bahati Women Company Limited bought the land in question in 1968 but its members were not issued with title deeds due to internal wrangles. The farm is near Likia Settlement Scheme, which was the centre of land clashes early this month.
Yesterday, Mrs Alice Wairimu Kinyara, who claimed to be the founding chairperson of Bahati Women Company, blamed the conflict on individuals who sold the land without the knowledge of original members.
"The genuine members were settled and they are the people occupying the land in Mau Narok. We do not know where the other group with title deeds came from," she said.
Wairimu, who is in possession of the original deed for the entire piece of land, wondered where the other group got the document to sub-divide the land and allocate it to its members.
But Mr Joseph Mathenge Muturi, who heads the group that issued title deeds to its members, told an annual general meeting at Afraha Stadium on Friday that they were ready to occupy their land.
During the charged meeting 10 people were issued with title deeds. Muturi said those with the deeds were genuine members and warned anyone against stopping them from occupying their land.
Nakuru District Commissioner James Mwaura recently warned the group led by Muturi against interfering with the land until cases pending in court were heard and determined.
Elsewhere, the Government has been asked to probe two former Cabinet ministers for allegedly fanning land clashes in Transmara and Bomet districts.
Councillor Philip Chirchir of Emurua Dikirr claimed that former Cabinet ministers Julius Sunkuli and Isaac Ruto had held night meetings with some residents before the clashes erupted. Chirchir accused the two of inciting residents to fight for their selfish political gains. He urged the Government to take decisive action against politicians inciting residents into violence.
He was speaking at Emarti village on the border of Bomet and Transmara districts during a peace meeting between members of the two warring communities. The meeting was convened by Bomet DC Leonard Ngaluma and his Transmara counterpart, Mr Julius Mathenge. Health assistant minister Gideon Konchella, who is the Kilgoris MP, attended the meeting.
Contacted for comment, Ruto and Sunkuli said they had nothing to do with the clashes and denied visiting the area or holding night meetings as alleged.
The residents called on the government to set up two General Service Unit camps in the area to forestall resurgence of clashes. Elders from the two warring communities resolved to bury the hatchet, help police arrest inciters and banned the carrying of offensive weapons. They petitioned the government to issue title deeds for demarcated land, saying this was a frequent source of conflict.
Konchella called on teachers and pupils at six primary schools that were closed due to insecurity to return to school, saying peace and order had been restored.
He said adequate security personnel had been deployed at the border to maintain law and order. Konchella said an Administration Police camp would be put up at Ntulele, a few kilometres from the clash torn-area, to check insecurity and cattle rustling.
Three people have been killed and 23 others injured in clashes that started early this month over pasture.
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