The Nakebba Community Based Organisation has called on the 17-member taskforce established to implement the African Court's 2017 ruling on Ogiek land rights to conduct on-site inspections of disputed Mau Forest parcels before finalizing its report.
Chairman Peter Kibiegon emphasized that the group, representing over 10,000 members, seeks verification of land ownership claims. The community asserts that portions of the contested area were either legally allocated by the government in 1995 or purchased from the Ogiek, challenging the notion that the land constitutes ancestral Ogiek territory.
Kibiegon cited government records showing 1995 allocations of five-acre plots to settlers in Sururu, Likia, and other areas, with many residents acquiring land from the Ndorobo (Ogiek) community. He disputed the African Court's 2017 decision that found Kenya violated Ogiek rights by displacing them, arguing the land was a divided settlement scheme where 60% was given to the Ogiek and 40% to other groups following ethnic conflicts.
The taskforce, formed in March 2018 by Forestry CS Keriako Tobiko, is mandated to review local court judgments, conduct public consultations, and propose remedies including land restitution or compensation. It must also assess the ruling's impact on similar cases nationwide.
Community leaders warn of escalating tensions, citing three violent clashes since 2017 that resulted in casualties and property damage. Kibiegon stressed the need for urgent resolution to prevent further conflict, asserting that documented evidence supports their land claims.
