Lands Commission faces pressure to resolve Isiolo land disputes
Responding to the concerns, NLC commissioner Prof. James Tuitoek admitted that the commission has been overwhelmed by the volume of claims from across the country.
Calls for justice echoed in Isiolo County as victims of historical land injustices urged the National Land Commission (NLC) to move faster in addressing petitions involving land disputes.
Among the most vocal were residents of Ngaremara, who claim the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have taken over their ancestral land.
Speaking at a public hearing organized by the NLC, the community pointed to the arrival of the KDF following the completion of the Isiolo-Moyale highway as the beginning of their displacement.
The military later established the School of Engineering in the area, which the locals say led to the loss of over 18,000 acres of land.
"We have lost over 18,000 acres of land, which have been taken over by the KDF. Our people have become internally displaced due to loss of their homes, and the education of our children has also been affected since a school that used to be within the area was destroyed," said community elder Zachary Luchilia.
"Graves of our parents and grandparents have also been interfered with."
Other residents like Dominic Ngoyan expressed frustration that despite presenting a petition in 2022 with full evidence, they are yet to receive any resolution.
"We filed the petition in 2022 and have produced all the evidence needed so that we can get justice. We want to be heard and hope that the commission will look into our case because we don’t want our future generations to be affected," Ngoyan said.
Responding to the concerns, NLC commissioner Prof. James Tuitoek admitted that the commission has been overwhelmed by the volume of claims from across the country.
He noted that out of 3,743 claims received nationally, 27 were from Isiolo, with some deemed inadmissible.
"We have been in Isiolo since 2022 to investigate some land cases involving the Isiolo International Airport, KDF, Ministry of Livestock, and other small disputes, and we are hopeful that by the end of this year, all the determinations in Isiolo will be out," he said.
NLC commissioner Tiyah Galgalo called on residents to cooperate to make the process smoother.