The Kenyan government has made progress in resolving the Samburet land dispute in Kericho County, with the subdivision of the contested property now complete and preparations for titling underway. Lands Principal Secretary Generali Nixon Korir told the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Lands that L.R. No. 25005, Kericho/Samburet, had been subdivided and new parcel numbers issued. The subdivision was undertaken under an approved scheme from the Kericho County Government.
The next stage in the process is the preparation of the Registry Index Map (RIM), which will pave the way for the titling process. However, beneficiaries will first have to be identified and allotment letters issued. Korir said the mapping exercise is crucial and that once the RIM is finalized, the titling process will begin. The Samburet land dispute has been ongoing for years, with different groups claiming ownership of the same parcel.
The dispute involves about 1,500 members of the Chang Kelek Kipsigis Ogiek community, who claim historical ties to the area and have experienced displacement and loss of land over generations. The petitioners want Parliament to investigate the historical injustices, facilitate conversion of the parcel from public land to community land for human settlement, and ensure valid title documents are issued.
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot, whose constituency covers the area, previously called for investigations involving both the Lands Committee and the Public Petitions Committee. The proposed settlement and titling process faces a separate question over the legal status of the land, with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry maintaining that L.R. No. 25005 remains part of the South Western Mau public forest.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa told the Lands Committee earlier this month that gazetting an intention to alter the boundary did not, on its own, change the legal status of the forest. The conflicting government positions have placed the legal and administrative history of Samburet at the centre of the dispute, as residents await clarity on whether the ongoing subdivision will ultimately lead to secure tenure.
The Lands Department's appearance before the committee also covered other disputed properties, including land on Lenana Road in Nairobi, L.R. No. 1468 in Tindiret, the Diani Complex in Kwale, and Kipini Community land in Tana River. The cases highlighted challenges arising from disputed transfers, expired leases, historical claims, survey records, and court proceedings.
For Samburet residents, the immediate process now depends on completion of the RIM, identification of beneficiaries, and issuance of the required allotment letters before titles can be processed. The development follows a petition presented to Parliament in June by residents of Kericho, including members of the Chang Kelek Kipsigis Ogiek community, who are seeking government intervention over historical land injustices.
Key points
- The Samburet land dispute involves about 1,500 members of the Chang Kelek Kipsigis Ogiek community.
- The subdivision of the contested property has been completed, and preparations for titling are underway.
- The legal status of the land remains disputed, with conflicting government positions on its status as part of the South Western Mau public forest.
