The article Kiplagat grabbed 120 acres of land in Kitale, TJRC told by John Nalianya which appeared yesterday in The Star refers. In the story, Nalianya reports on the testimony of members of the Liyavo farmers’ co-operative society to the truth team, naming the who-is-who in Kenya for grabbing land given to peasants by President Kenyatta in 1972. “The commission will not spare anybody and we promise to leave no stone unturned,” acting chair Tecla Namachanja is quoted as saying. This was the first time that TJRC was hearing one of the many cases about the continuing land crisis in the Rift Valley province.
The focus of articles by Fr Gabriel Dolan and myself in the mainstream media have dwelt at length on the land crisis in Trans Nzoia. This was particularly so at the height of the Katiba debate and in the times following its promulgation.
The testimony before the TJRC is information that neither Kwanza MP Noah Wekesa, nor Saboti’s Eugene Wamalwa and Cherangany’s Joshua Kutuny are willing to process.
Critically, the testimony exposed the soft under-belly in those who would aspire to provide leadership to the area under the new constitution; most of them have either gained, or propped up the infrastructure of impunity that pains victims of landlessness in Trans Nzoia. The testimony invites us to consider the plight of squatters in Sitatunga and Maridadi, who got land on the same day their counterparts in Liyavo did. Representatives from the latter testified on the same day as well, and their plight — though unreported — is no less weighty.
In the case of Sitatunga, one of the leading perpetrators has — in the ranks of Amb Bethwel Kiplagat — provided leadership towards peace and justice in a neighbouring country.
At the local level, he’s big on God, going as far as building a beautiful sanctuary for communal worship on what goes for his land, while occasionally roping in various members of Sitatunga into his enterprise as farm-hands. Sitatunga members have either been threatened or co-opted into supporting the status quo, while some have died mysteriously.
Councillors and legislators from the area, which falls under Cherangany constituency, have – since the demise of opposition leader Masinde Muliro – been answerable to interests which only they can best explain.
As a resident of Sitatunga and grandson to one of the families affected by this situation, I have been party to countless visits to ministries of Land, Co-operative Development, and Local Government, in addition to the KACC and office of the Ombudsman.
On June 23, Ardhi House stood us up, after inviting us to Nairobi, representatives from the 100 poor families that make up Sitatunga. As this was happening, PS Dorothy Angote and minister James Orengo were hitting the airwaves with news of on-going “reforms” at the ministry.
Other government ministries and agencies have never acknowledged our correspondence or provided any formal reply, while some are keen to have us understand that perpetrators in question are to be respected, not questioned.
The TJRC hearing presents the first and only opportunity in which we have been heard out and extensive investigations carried out.
In a cathartic sense, therefore, the testimony to the TJRC springs an eternal hope in us, and in telling the world about our situation moves us towards imagining, working and waiting for a better tomorrow. Let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a never-falling stream.
The writer is a media consultant (www.jesse-masai.com).
