Land in Kenya is classified on the basis of its "productivity". Some lands are said to be productive.Others are said to be barren and impotent.Economic policies are designed and implemented on the basis of this vague classification.This is tailored to "reward" those lands that "contribute" to the national economy.This has been the reasoning since independence.The result is glaring inequality and betrayal.The result is radicalization of the forgotten lot.
But I will not base my today's subject on that.I want to talk about the shameless arrogance displayed by some people.Yes this is what I want to unfold.Land is the mainstay of any a people.It is the bedrock on which their lives are anchored.It is the oasis from which they draw their daily drink.Land defines their lives.It is their entitlement.It is their wealth and livelihood.Land is therefore paramount to a single man's interests.Its benefits cut across generations.Its usefulness doesn't end with a single generation.It goes beyond that.Danger posed to land equals to danger posed to generations to come.Yes this calls for seriousness when dealing with land matters.
Since the discovery of oil in the northern Kenya several people have come out with "sweet" descriptions of these "former" barren and impotent lands.Now they are said to be "high potential lands", "business promising territories", "uninhabited lands".....etc.Reports have been in circulation that speculators are now working in cahoots with some local merchants to purchase land from locals in order to dispose them of when "boom time" comes.The logic behind this is that locals don't "understand" the usefulness of land since they are "pastoralists". That they are nomadic and keep on moving from "place to place".Others say this land is " community land" hence nobody can solely claim ownership over it.
Let me call this ignorance or poverty of facts.Land is at the heart of these guys.They have guarded it with their lives since the beginning of time.Land is literally their "food".Taking it from them is like starving them to death.And it won't be a walk in the park.They are ready to defend it by all means.I'm not an alarmist.But hardness is needed to send a message down the veins of hungry wolves.I do this to send a message to potential thieves.Let them know that mistakes that happened somewhere else don't have room in this place.But we need measures to counter this:
1-Educate the masses about the benefits of land.I call upon professionals,sons and daughters of the land to rise and spread the gospel of your-land-is-your-wealth.Let the people know they are sleeping on gold.
2-Eliminate the curse of landlessness by allocating parcels of land to those with none.Doing this will be beneficial to the whole society/community.Relevant authorities shouldn't wait to be reminded about this.They ought to know it.Jump into action and do something.The people are waiting.
3-Make it hard for those who wish to dispose of their plots recklessly or with with little/no involvement of family members.These chaps are the ones who will cry later "tunaomba serekali iingilie katikati".Hit them hard until they begin using their brains.
4-Declare a moratorium (of say 3 years) until that time that the society will be deemed to be enlightened on matters of land.The relevant County Government/Council should take charge of this.
5-Designate zones for grazing purposes,provided with watering points,schools,health facilities and education centers for the illiterate.
6-Educate livestock farmers on the need to scale down their livestock numbers to avert crises and conflicts on land use and watering points.
7-Involve the masses in decision making.The masses always have something meaningful to offer.This openness breeds confidence and cooperation.
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