Members of Ogiek community trade blame over land
Members of the Ogiek community from Nessuit have accused their leaders of frustrating government efforts to compensate and resettle them.
According to Robert Lengoite, a section of the leaders had moved to court and obtained conservatory orders barring the ongoing boundary demarcation and titling process in Mau East.
“We urge the government to complete the matter as soon as possible and allow us to own land. We have suffered for more than three decades,” said Lengoite.
Double-speak
He noted that it was unfortunate that despite reaching an agreement with the government while in Naivasha a number of them were engaging in double-speak.
Roseline Chebet said members of the community had reached an agreement with the state to be allocated at least five acres each.
She noted that the same was meant to put to an end the perennial land conflicts, saying a number of their leaders have hidden agendas on the sub-division issue.
“The president is open and wants to assist the community, however some of us are busy trying to erode the efforts made so far to end the land conflicts,” said Chebet.
On his part, Nicodemus Presoi said as a community, they fully support the government on sub-division of Eastern Mau, adding that a few of them were bent on destroying their gains.
He said that those who do not want the land subdivided are alleged to own and manage at least 50 to 60 acres in the Mau.
“We will join the case as interested parties and prove to the court that some people want to deny us land,” said Presoi.
Joel Lang’at claimed that the representatives sent to Naivasha informed members that they signed the documents without knowledge on what they appended.
He added that those who moved to court claimed that they never understood English during the Naivasha conference.
“We all agreed that the government grant us land which was to be sub-divided into five acres, these theatrics we are witnessing cannot be allowed,” said Langat.
