Help us repossess Kedong ranch land, Maasais urge Ruto

Hundreds of Maasais living around Kedong ranch at the border of Narok East and Naivasha subcounties held demonstrations demanding the land be reverted to the community.

The residents, who protested at the land over the weekend, threatened to forcefully repossess their land claiming it was grabbed under the former administration.

At one time, the residents clashed with the police officers guarding the ranch after removing part of the fence at the 75,000-acre land.

The police had to shoot in the air to disperse the protesters from destroying the properties and gaining access to the land.

Led by land activist William Sipai, they asked President William Ruto to help them repossess their land that alleged belonged to about 3,500 families.

“We are calling on the new administration to help us get the land back after it was taken away from us,” Sipai said.

He added, “I was born, raised and married on the land but unfortunately we were evicted by persons with an ill motive of grabbing the land. Even our forefathers lived and were buried on the land.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Kirisiet Ole Maisodo who said the land was grabbed after few residents were deceived and signed unknowingly for the land to be given out. 

He called on the new head of state to help them eliminate the cartels occupying the land as he promised while campaigning in the area.

“We are wondering why the land was taken and a 24-hour security put to bar them from grazing in the land,” Maisodo said.

He alleged the police officers put on the ground to guard the ranch have been terrorising residents while others have taken their wives.

Amos Kishau said their people have suffered for a long time under the security officers on the ground.

“We acknowledge President Ruto for returning the dry port in Naivasha to Mombasa as part of the ranch had been set for the dry port,” Kishau said.

The land in Naivasha constituency goes all the way to Narok East constituency on the west, and Kajiado West constituency on the east. The Mai Maihu-Narok road passes across the land.

The protest was the latest of many such incidents over the ownership of the land where prominent individuals and business executives are said to have been listed as shareholders.

Part of the ranch serves as a dry port used by Kenya and Uganda. Some of the 1,000 acres is where the dry port was built and given to the government by the management of the ranch plus 1,000 acres given to Uganda and South Sudan respectively.

Another 4,000 acres was gifted to the local community as compensation but it has been a bone of contention as the 30,000 members of Kitet community who have been living on the land since time in memorial say they are yet to benefit from the offer.