Members of the Ogiek community follow proceedings during a sensitisation baraza at Chepkitale location in Mt Elgon to facilitate registration of their community land

After years of struggle, legal battles and repeated evictions, members of the Ogiek community in Mt Elgon are finally on the verge of securing legal ownership of their ancestral land.

That is after the government initiated the process of registering more than 80,000 acres of community land that will eventually be distributed to over 9,000 Ogiek families following a court ruling.

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A team from the Ministry of Lands visited Chepkitale location in Mt Elgon and conducted a sensitisation forum to begin the registration process under the Community Land Act.

The exercise sparked emotional scenes among residents, many of whom broke into song and dance as they welcomed a historic breakthrough after decades of uncertainty and displacement.

Some families shed tears of joy as officials explained the steps towards formal registration of the community land.

The region’s cold weather did little to dampen the celebrations as residents gathered in large numbers to witness the beginning of a process many feared would never come during their lifetime.

The Land Adjudication team was led by the Ministry’s deputy director Amos Musyoka. He said said the government was implementing the court determination that affirmed the land’s community ownership status.
Musyoka said the sensitisation exercise focused on the legal procedures surrounding community land registration, governance structures, protection of customary rights, inclusion of women and youth, sustainable land use and peaceful dispute resolution.

“The law recognises the community as the primary custodian of the land and any future decisions relating to the land must be guided by transparency, public participation and the free, prior and informed consent of the community,” Musyoka said.

He urged residents to begin preparing a formal community register, convene a lawful community assembly and develop internal governance systems and by-laws in line with the Community Land Act.

Musyoka assured residents of the Ministry’s commitment to support a lawful, inclusive and peaceful registration process while safeguarding environmental conservation and intergenerational equity.

“We appreciate the local leadership, elders, women, youth and all stakeholders for their collaboration and orderly participation throughout the sensitisation exercise,” he said.

Other officials present included Joina Koina and Adbiwel Mohammed.

Ogiek Council of Elders chairman Mzee Johnson Takur said the long struggle for recognition and ownership rights was finally bearing fruit.

Takur recalled years of suffering, displacement and destruction of property during repeated evictions from the land, which the Bungoma county government had previously gazetted as a national game reserve.

“It has been a cruel battle. We have suffered a lot pursuing justice to reclaim this land and now there is light at the end of the tunnel,”  Takur said.

The 77-year-old described the sensitisation meeting as a source of hope for families who had sacrificed for years in pursuit of justice.

Resident Richard Sangura said the day marked a turning point in his life after enduring repeated displacement despite being born and raised in the area.

“I was born, brought up and schooled here, but I have suffered because of the frequent displacement. Today, I'm a happy man and if age allowed, I would look for another child and name them after Chepkitale,” Sangura said.

The community also warned political leaders against interfering with the registration process.

“We are aware that some political leaders are unhappy that we reclaimed our community land. Let them keep off this process,” Cosmas Murunga said.

The Environment and Land Court in Bungoma ruled that the land belongs to the Ogiek community and nullified the Bungoma county government’s decision to gazette it as a game reserve.