Lands commission wants crisis meeting over Kibiko standoff

National Land Commission (NLC) has called for an urgent crisis meeting with the County Government of Kajiado and the Ministry of Lands over the 2,800 acres of prime land in Kibiko, Kajiado West.

The move comes barely a day after the government suspended the controversial land sub-division to avert bloodshed between members of warring groups.

Keekonyokie Community Trust land is communal land that has elicited reactions from its members who are now on the verge of being disinherited by a few individuals said to have forged documents to facilitate illegal sub-division.

Eleven of its trustees are said to have colluded with a section of leaders and powerful government officials to subdivide the land leaving the entire community names.

NLC Chairman Gershom Otachi is now seeking a mediation meeting between him, Governor Joseph ole Lenku and Lands CS Zachary Njeru to thrash out the matter once and for all.

In a letter seen by People Daily dated January 3, Otachi acknowledged that there are several litigations and would therefore want crisis talks to find a win-win situation on the matters.

Otachi has asked the Ministry to hold onto the title deed process.

“It may be prudent that you put the process on hold to allow further arbitration and engagement with all stakeholders,” reads part of the letter.

Governor Lenku has since confirmed he has received the letter.

“We shall consult widely and find out how soon this can happen. Tension is building up fast and we want to avert any ugly incidents. We want the matter resolved quickly. All I can assure Keekonyokie people is that there will be no room for cartels to grab their inheritance,” said Lenku.

Police have since been deployed in the area to avert confrontation among the warring groups.

Kajiado West sub-county deputy county commissioner Morang’a Morekwa has since issued a stern warning to both parties to prevent from conducting any activity in the piece of land currently inhabited by locals saying the area is now a security threat.

Members of the Keekonyokie Community Trust have lived in the land since 1956 when the government livestock breeding project was completed before they were legally settled in 1999 but have since been living a communal life at the expense of subdividing the land into individual titles.