The government’s move to start titling process to residents of five settlements in Nakuru County has received objection from members of the Ogiek Community.
Despite the government stating that it wants to restore land ownership rights to the residents, the Ogiek Community say the move is real sense contravention of their rights as indigenous peoples.
Addressing press at Mariashoni centre on Monday December 9, 2024, the irate members of the Ogiek Community told off the government over the move to issue individual title deeds in the area.
According to them, the Arusha Landmark ruling of 2017 was very clear concerning the rights of Ogiek Community as indigenous people.
That the Arusha Landmark ruling recognized the Ogiek as having their ancestral land in the Mau Forest which is a community land.
The Ogiek Community is now demanding that the government moves to implement the Court ruling that paves way for their community land.
They are opposed to the individual title deeds that the government is proposing adding that the move will jeopardize the stability in areas affected such as Mariashoni, Likia, and Sururu.
Led by elderly Simon Kiproting, they now say they will not allow invasion of their ancestral land.The elderly Simon noted that those trying to invade the Ogiek Community land will not have peace.
He told off the politicians who have continued to mislead the people on the issue of titling.
“We have been here and this is our ancestral land and we are against subdivisions of the land. We just want communal land title,” he stated.
Sentiments echoed by Richard Barsaloi who noted that the courts have pronounced themselves clear on their rights as indigenous people.
He wondered why the government was making decisions of individual titling through a survey process to be carried out yet the Ogiek have not been involved.
“We have our leaders including MP Molo, but we have not been involved in the whole process. Let the government listen to us before this process can commence,” he said.
Sarah Osasi from Ogiek Council of Elders representing the women noted that the implementation of the Arusha Landmark ruling should be done.She told off Majority Leader in the Senate Aaron Cheruiyot for misleading Government on the implementation.
Sarah also faulted the committee that has been formed by the government to implement the titling process which she termed as illegal as it has no representation.
“The committee has been formed yet no single Ogiek has been selected to be part of the committee. These are just brokers who are out to mislead the government,” she said.
Their sentiments coming barely 2 days after the Lands and Physical Planning Principal Secretary (PS) Generali Nixon Korir made the announcement on Friday at a public meeting in Kapsinendent, Mariashoni Ward that the Ministry of Lands, in collaboration with the Forestry Department, will begin the process of demarcating the boundaries between the settlements and the Mau Forest, in accordance with the directive issued by the Environment and Land Court (ELC).
This process, he said, will involve placing clear physical beacons on the ground, marking the exact boundaries.