Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya has called on the National Land Commission (NLC) to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to address the rising number of land disputes in the country. Speaking at a meeting with NLC commissioners and the secretariat at his office on Monday, Governor Natembeya highlighted the challenges faced by landless individuals, particularly those who acquired land from the Settlement Trust Fund (SFT) but have been unable to pay for it, leading to evictions.
“My county is experiencing a high rate of land evictions due to unpaid land rates, leaving vulnerable individuals, including widows, at risk of losing their only inheritance,” said Governor Natembeya. He stressed that ADR could provide an effective solution to long-standing land disputes, particularly for the protection of vulnerable communities. “The commission must find practical ways to apply ADR in these disputes so that vulnerable widows don’t lose land to cartels who pay for the rates and use police to evict them,” he added.
Governor Natembeya expressed optimism about working collaboratively with the NLC and urged the national government to address the grievances of squatters, including those evicted from forest lands in areas such as Kiboroa, Mount Elgon, and Embobut.
NLC Chair Professor James Tuitoek, along with Commissioner Esther Murugi, is on a five-day visit to Trans Nzoia to hear from communities affected by historical land injustices dating back to the colonial era. The NLC aims to make recommendations to relevant government institutions on how to address these long-standing grievances.
Professor Tuitoek acknowledged the emotional nature of land disputes and highlighted the urgency of resolving historical injustices, particularly for communities like the Ndorobo, who seek to reclaim forest lands in Mount Elgon and parts of Trans Nzoia. He also mentioned other affected groups, such as Kiboroa forest evictees, the Sengwer community from Cherangani Hills, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Trans Nzoia.
“Our bottleneck has been the availability of resources, but we want to work with partners, including county governments,” said Professor Tuitoek. He further acknowledged the high number of IDPs in Trans Nzoia and pledged the NLC’s commitment to resolving the issue.
Trans Nzoia County CEC for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, Janerose Nasimiyu Mutama, welcomed the NLC’s initiative. Speaking at a public hearing at the Kitale Museums Hall, she expressed confidence that public engagement would lead to justice for affected communities. She emphasized the importance of addressing land disputes swiftly due to the region’s growing population and limited land resources, urging the NLC to expedite its recommendations.
The meeting was attended by NLC Commissioners Tiyyah Galgalo and Hubbie Hussein, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs Edmond Gichuru, County Secretary Truphosa Amere, and Trans Nzoia NLC Coordinator Simon Chebii. The NLC will visit various sites in the county later this week to hear directly from affected communities.
