Where land grabbers are driven bonkers

Many people have tales to tell about land grabbing in the country. Stories of land having more than one title deed, evictions and destruction of properties and even deaths related to land issues have been a common feature in news sections.

Land and property theft among the Kipsigis, a Kalenjin sub-tribe, however, is regarded as the deadliest sin a man can commit. It has far-reaching effects that affect a man’s children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

This includes siring children with disabilities, bizarre physical and mental conditions and even mysterious deaths. Even as most cultures get eroded, many Kipsigis beliefs and norm remains the pillars that shape the lives of the tribesmen and women.

These beliefs are deep-rooted in the community and whoever fails to abide by them will one day, in one way or another face the full consequences of their disregard for them.

Nature bears witness

John Sitienei, a Kalenjin elder explains that in the past, land was communally owned before sub-division came into place.

“In the past, we used to live communally, where houses were built close to each other. The land was divided into two. One for grazing animals and another for planting crops,” he said.

Farming land was shared equally among the people. When sub-division of land came to place, men used to negotiate boundary issues and upon agreement, they would draw a boundary.

Some men, however, would break the agreement and move the boundary to their own advantage. If the disadvantaged person surrenders or bitterly says “let the world show” then the curse will befall on the grabber.

The same applies to a man who forcefully grabs land or regards the land leased to him as his own and prevents the owner from accessing it,” Sitienei narrates.

He cites a case where a rich man wanted to grab his neighbour’s land.

He went ahead and fenced half of it.

“His neighbour was unable to go to court to fi ght for his land. He publicly said “… let the sky show the boundary.” When it rained, the events that transpired were almost surreal as the lightning marked the boundary down the hill to the other side of the hill.

That ended the boundary dispute as the rich man shamefully moved the fence to match the one placed by the lightning. It’s believed that failure to abide by such a boundary will prompt the thunder to do more harm to the boundary offender,” he shares.

Retribution befalls

Livestock theft is also another vice that is not tolerated. It is not a wonder to see children exhibit characteristics of the animals that say, a father stole.

Children will bleat like goats and sheep or moo like cows and at the worst case scenario, they will eat grass. Retribution may not be immediate. It might take years, but in the end it will wreak havoc in the family or generation.

There’s a neighbour who is believed to have stolen his uncle’s cows. One of his sons is suffering from unknown mental illness, which attacks him every so often.

Most of the time when this happens, he gets violent and will normally fight everyone he comes across. His family members are forced to tie him up or lock him in the house to prevent him from causing harm to themselves and their neighbours.

After a while and a moment of extreme vigilance trying to contain him, the disease will magically disappear and he will be okay and even take up normal chores like any other person for sometime until the disease stricks again.

Exercise caution

In order to break a curse related to the theft and land issues, Sitienei says the family has to fi nd those whom they stole from and first apologise.

However, solving the issue might become circuitous as the person who brought the curse to the family (father or grandfather) might be dead and worse, the real owner of the property might be dead too.

This prompts the children or grandchildren to look for the children of the owner to apologise and return or pay for the grabbed land or livestock as Sitienei explains. The curses, however affects the male children only.

“This is because girls are married to other families,” he says. Sitienei, 70, says the issue does not just apply to grabbing of land, and stealing of livestock, but anything that’s illegally acquired. He warns the younger generation to stay away from graft.

He says that people should not use their fi nancial power or status in the community to rob the less fortunate members of the community because ‘tears’ of the people that you rob will one day come to ruin your life. He says people should work hard, be respectful and God will bless them.

“I want to warn the younger generation to stay away from anybody’s property. Never use your fi nancial power to rob the less fortunate. Avoid it at all costs because their ‘tears’ will one day come to haunt you and your children because God listens to their lamentations. And it’s not just land, cows, sheep or goats, but even gadgets. Just work hard, be respectful and God will bless you,” he said in conclusion.

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