This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
Published on October 14, 2019, data from the Kenya Land Alliance reveals a stark reality: women in Kenya own little land despite law changes and court rulings aimed at promoting equality.
According to the data, land registered under women is less than five per cent in some areas, with Kisumu recording the lowest percentage at 2.32 per cent compared to men at 97.42 per cent. In Nandi, women own 4.61 per cent, while men control 93.49 per cent of the land.
However, there are some areas where women own bigger portions of land, including Lamu, where women control 55.73 per cent, and Embu, where 61.48 per cent belongs to women. In Naivasha, ownership is almost at the same level, with 13.10 per cent for men and 19.21 per cent for women.
Grassroots Organisations Operating Together in Sisterhood (Groots Kenya) voiced concerns over the data, citing culture as one of the reasons for the disparities. Groots Executive Director Fridah Githuku urged the Government to address the issue, especially in Nyanza and Western regions.
Despite several court rulings, including one by Justice Lucy Waithaka in a Nyeri court last February, which ruled that married women were entitled to inherit their fathers' land, the disparities persist.
