This archive report was first published on 14 September 2019.
Published on September 14, 2019, a notice from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) has left residents in Elsa Ntriim, Burat ward, Isiolo County, facing an uncertain future.
The KDF School of Infantry has issued a 30-day eviction notice to the residents, citing a protracted land ownership dispute between the military and locals.
According to the notice, the residents' continued stay on the land has severely affected training activities for soldiers and endangered the lives of locals, who are exposed to ammunition and explosives used for training.
However, the residents maintain that the eviction notice is unlawful, claiming the land is theirs and they have nowhere else to go.
Resident Huka Godana stated that the soldiers arrived in 1982 and were offered a 100-acre parcel of land by unknown people, which they have since expanded to over 10,000 acres.
Another resident, Mary Gacheri, alleged that the soldiers have abused the locals' generosity, adding that they have been pursuing the boundary matter in court since 1998.
The over 30,000 affected residents claim that six public primary schools and two secondary schools in the disputed area will be affected if they are evicted, and have called on the government to intervene.
