Ogiek begins formal registration of 80,000-acre land after court win

Members of the Ogiek Community during a meeting in Mt Elgon area

Members of the Ogiek community in Mt Elgon have begun the process of registering over 80,000 acres of ancestral land following a landmark 22-year legal battle that ended in their favour.

The Ogiek Council of Elders held a three-day meeting in Chepkitale, where they resolved to secure title deeds for the reclaimed land.

Johnson Takur, chairman of the Ogiek/Ndorobo Council of Elders, said the registration will mark a new chapter in proper management and utilisation of the community’s land resources.

“The community has unanimously agreed to register the land and secure title deeds,” Takurb said.

The land spans forest areas in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties. Takur said the community plans to designate grazing and settlement areas to ensure proper use.

The Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project (CIPDP), led by Peter Kitelo, has been tasked to spearhead the registration process. Kitelo said they will coordinate with the Ministry of Lands to formalise legal ownership, which he described as critical to protecting indigenous rights.

“This legal recognition restores our identity and offers hope for our people,” Kitelo said.

The initiative follows a September 2022 court ruling in Bungoma, which deemed the 2000 creation of the Chepkitale National Game Reserve unconstitutional and ordered that the land be returned to the Ogiek community.

The court affirmed the Ogiek’s ancestral tenure rights and their role in conserving the forest ecosystem.

The Ogiek have dismissed calls to review Chepkitale boundaries.

“Our boundaries are intact,” said Moses Ndiema.