Trans Nzoia Governor Urges National Land Commission to Adopt ADR for Land Disputes
Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya has called on the National Land Commission (NLC) to embrace alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to address the escalating land disputes in the country.
Speaking during a meeting with NLC commissioners and the secretariat in his office on Monday, Governor Natembeya highlighted the plight of many landless people who acquired land from the Settlement Trust Fund (SFT) but were unable to pay for the land, 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.
The governor emphasized that ADR is the most effective way to resolve protracted land disputes and prevent further suffering for vulnerable communities. He urged the NLC to explore practical approaches to applying ADR in such conflicts.
“The commission must do all in its power to find practical ways to apply ADR in these disputes so that vulnerable widows don’t lose land to cartels that rush to pay for rates and evict them with the help of the police,” he said.
The county boss expressed optimism that his administration would work collaboratively with the NLC to find mutually agreeable solutions. He also called on the national government to address the land grievances of documented squatters, including those in Trans Nzoia who have been evicted from forest lands like Kiboroa, Mount Elgon, and Embobut.
NLC Chair Professor James Tuitoek and Commissioner Esther Murugi are on a five-day visit to Trans Nzoia to listen to the people’s concerns about historical land injustices during the colonial era and make recommendations to relevant government institutions.
Professor Tuitoek acknowledged that historical land injustices are emotionally charged and emphasized the need to address the claims of communities like the Ndorobo, who are seeking to reclaim forest lands in Mount Elgon and parts of Trans Nzoia.
Other claimants include the Kiboroa forest evictees, the Sengwer Community from Cherangani Hills, and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Trans Nzoia. The NLC will be visiting sites in the county on Thursday and Friday to hear directly from these communities.
“Our bottleneck has been the availability of resources, but we want to work with partners, including county governments,” said Professor Tuitoek.
The NLC acknowledged that Trans Nzoia County has a high number of IDPs and pledged to work with the county to resolve this issue.
During the hearings at the Kitale Museums Hall, Trans Nzoia County CEC for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development Janerose Nasimiyu Mutama welcomed the NLC’s initiative and expressed confidence that public engagement would lead to justice for the affected communities.
The CEC emphasized the importance of addressing land disputes promptly due to the growing population and limited land resources. She urged the NLC to expedite its recommendations and pledged the county government’s support for their implementation.
The meeting was attended by Commissioners Tiyyah Galgalo and Hubbie Hussein, Deputy Legal Affairs Director Edmond Gichuru, County Secretary Truphosa Amere, and Trans Nzoia National Lands Commission Coordinator Simon Chebii.
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