The Mt Kenya Times 
Land
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- The Mau Mau freedom fighters also suffered the same fate. This is despite the fact the fight to reclaim the land forcibly occupied by the British Colonial rule was at the core of the bloody struggles.
- The large swathes of the fertile land in Kenya were in the hands of the colonial settlers. They were using them for big plantations and used Kenyans as slaves to provide cheap labor in the farms.
- The mau mau who were led by Field Marshal the late Dedan Kimathi eventually won this war. The fighters were using bushes as their hideouts as they waged the war against mighty British colonialists.
- Back to the deliberations at the public rallies, barazas and indoor forums organized by the NCEC, the participants always passed a resolution that stated.
I was one of the key players during the clamor for the new people-driven constitutional reforms.
Being a founder and active member of the National Convention Executive Committee (NCEC) and National Convention Assembly (NCA), I sat as a member of a core team involved in conceiving, organizing and undertaking all the activities organized by the pro-reform lobby.
In most of the forums we held across the country, the emotive land question always popped up and dominated the deliberations.
The delegates, particularly those who hailed from region where majority of the people lived as squatters, always pointed an accusing finger at the government of the founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
This government crafted and implemented a skewed policy that discriminated the poor in land distribution and aquisation programme.
The Mau Mau freedom fighters also suffered the same fate.
This is despite the fact the fight to reclaim the land forcibly occupied by the British Colonial rule was at the core of the bloody struggles.
The large swathes of the fertile land in Kenya were in the hands of the colonial settlers.
They were using them for big plantations and used Kenyans as slaves to provide cheap labor in the farms.
The mau mau who were led by Field Marshal the late Dedan Kimathi eventually won this war. The fighters were using bushes as their hideouts as they waged the war against mighty British colonialists.
Back to the deliberations at the public rallies, barazas and indoor forums organized by the NCEC, the participants always passed a resolution that stated.
The land question in Kenya is very emotive issue.
The land disputes were the root cause of the killings of thousands of Kenyans including members of the same families.
Some had been permanently maimed and confined to life of squalor.
Cases of families resorting to witch-craft had also been documented.
We, therefore, urge those in authorities to handle the land question Soberly and with utmost caution.
It is a time bomb. So, this issue should be addressed strictly in accordance with law.
Many delegates blamed the independent constitution. The colonial authorities played a key role in its enactment.
Remember they are ones who organized and hosted the Lancaster conferences in London where it was drafted and adopted.
The British colony catered for the cost of flights, food and accommodation of the Kenyan delegation. Besides, the colony paid them hefty out-of-pocket allowances.
As we know, they had interest on land matter. Some of the settlers want to stay on and continue occupying the crown land.
So, this constitution was not meant to address the land question perse.
The elite in Kenyatta government took advantage of this to dish out huge chunks of land to themselves.
Putting this aside, allow me to say this. Allowing hordes of goons to take the law into thier hands could trigger an explosion and it will be hard to put off the fire by the time we realize the situation has gone out of control.
I have opted to revisit the issue of land because of the disturbing incidences we have seen happening here in Kenya in recent past.
Cases of the invasions of expansive private land and properties have been documented.
Some days later, we are now seeing this trickling down to those who own small parcels of land.
A few days ago, the media reported an ugly incident that happened in Nakuru county.
A former MP and now Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) from the area reportedly took the law into his own hand. He confronted a woman and members of her family claiming they had encroached on his quarter piece of land.
The woman was overheard wailing while insisting the piece belonged to her. The CAS is using his influence to steal my land. I will not allow this to happen.
In ensuing altercation, the former MP allegedly shot a member of that family in the hand.
My wish is to see the government of President William Ruto succeeding. My articles/opinion pieces and verbal commentaries can attest to this.
It is however my considered view that HE administration has learnt big lessons from the incidents witnessed so far.
I recall the land question was at the core of president Ruto during the campaigns.
Since he assumed power, he has been assuring Kenyans he is committed to fulfill his pledges.
He has however been reiterating that he will do this while strictly being guided by the law and constitution.
As I conclude, allow me to say this. Enactment of the law setting a ceiling on acreage of land that an individual can own always stood out as one of the key resolutions during NCEC/NCA led talks.
I recall President William Ruto attended one of our forums at Serena Hotel in Nairobi. He made a great presentation. Then he was a Member of Parliament for Eldoret North.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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