Land surveyors have asked politicians to stop using land issues as a campaign agenda and let the experts handle the matter.
The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya said land matters could rekindle hatred and hostility among communities.
This comes after a heated debate arose following the recent remarks by NASA flagbearer Raila Odinga urging the Maasai to stop reckless sale of their ancestral land.
Raila promised to address poverty, which he said resulted in the Maa community selling their land at throwaway prices.
The remarks have been termed hate speech by a section of the political divide, with some calling for his arrest.
Speaking in Nairobi, ISK chairperson Stephen Ambani said continuous land conflicts in pastoral regions, such as Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu, can be linked to politics.
“The Constitution provides that a Kenyan can own land anywhere they choose to live in or invest. That tribe, race or religion as a basis of land ownership anywhere is really unfortunate, especially coming from the political class,” he said.
Ambani warned that the ongoing tension could potentially affect the nation economically as those with land away from their ancestral land resolve to leave their property in fear of conflict.
“We urge politicians to leave land-related matters to the experts,” he said.
The surveyors have urged the National Assembly to pass legislation that will promote productive use of land so that politicians stop using the issue as a campaign agenda.
The DCI, DPP and National Cohesion and Integration Commission have launched a probe into Raila’s statement to see if it constituted hate speech.