Maasai Mara land dispute sparks Parliamentary probe
The petition was filed in Parliament by Anthony Leseiyo on behalf of local residents who fear being pushed out of their ancestral land.
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Lands has launched an inquiry into a dispute over the alleged alienation of 47,000 acres of public land in the Olkiombo area of Narok County, which forms part of the Maasai Mara Conservancy.
Representatives of the Olkiombo-Maasai Mara Conservancy, accompanied by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, appeared before the committee on Tuesday to present a petition accusing private developers of grabbing the land.
They warned that the disputed acquisition threatened wildlife habitats, tourism, and the livelihoods of communities that depend on the conservancy.
Committee chair Joash Nyamoko said the team was committed to resolving the matter and would summon additional witnesses while also conducting a physical inspection of the land in question.
“This Committee is fully seized of this matter, and we will be inviting more people to present necessary evidence so that we can resolve this matter,” said Nyamoko.
The petition was filed in Parliament by Anthony Leseiyo on behalf of local residents who fear being pushed out of their ancestral land.
“This is our only hope because a lot is at stake. There are wild animals there and people's livelihoods at stake,” Leseiyo told the lawmakers.
According to the petitioners, the alleged alienation has resulted in loss of public revenue, diminished tourism assets, and posed an ecological threat as the contested land lies within the wildebeest migration corridor.
They further cautioned that the development could set a dangerous precedent for future land grabbing.
The committee confirmed it will invite officials from the Ministry of Lands and other relevant parties to clarify ownership of the disputed parcel as part of its investigations.
