Baringo South residents split over Makutani Forest gazettement as Parliament steps in
By Emmanuel Rono, May 22, 2026Residents of Makutani Sub-County in Baringo South have shared their views over the contested gazettement of 13,195 hectares of community land as public forest, with a section presenting sharply opposing views.
According to a statement by the Parliament of Kenya on Friday, May 22, 2026, the National Assembly Committee on Implementation, led by Chairperson Raphael Wanjala, visited Makutani Sub-County to assess concerns surrounding the 2016 gazettement of the land, which some residents say was done without adequate public participation.
“This land was gazetted into public forest in 2016, without due process; that is a violation of the constitution. We are demanding that the public participation process be repeated to get the views of all of us, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) being a major stakeholder here,” they said.
They further questioned the role of the Kenya Forest Service in the process, insisting that the agency should engage more broadly with all affected communities before implementation continues.
Ilchamus defence
However, a section of the Ilchamus community strongly defended the gazettement, submitting a memorandum to the committee in support of the forest status.
They argued that the designation has helped restore peace in an area previously affected by cattle rustling and banditry, while also opening up employment opportunities.
“Members, we oppose the public petition No. 15 of 2023 that was brought to your attention through the National Assembly seeking to challenge the gazettement of this forest. Today, as we speak, gazettement of Makutani Forest has ended banditry in this area and created employment opportunities for our children; we only call on KFS to follow the marked boundaries to avoid encroachment on settlement areas,” they said.
“The Makutani forest corridor used to be a cattle rustling area; the route has now been sealed, and we can see development here. The two blocks of public forest land in Makutani and Arabal are also helping in environmental conservation due to reduced human activities in the forest area. This will also control the rising waters of Lake Baringo,” they added.
Parliament intervention
During the visit, committee members urged calm and encouraged continued dialogue as Parliament weighs the competing claims.
“We are here to listen to you. We cannot make any judgement before getting your views. Let us maintain peace as we look for a solution,” Memusi Kanchory stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Kitilai Ntutu and Hillary Kosgey, who commended parts of the community for supporting environmental conservation efforts aligned with national priorities.
Committee Chairperson Wanjala clarified that Parliament was acting within its mandate despite ongoing court proceedings, noting that a petition brought the matter before the House.
“We know the matter is in court, but there is no law stopping Parliament from considering it since it came through a petition. The courts will proceed as Parliament also looks into the issue,” he said.
Wanjala, however, called on the Deputy County Commissioner of Makutani, Michael Wangila, to continue championing for peace by engaging the Community through their leaders and other stakeholders as the government pursues a conclusion on the matter