Residents of the Olkiombo-Maasai Mara Conservancy have petitioned Parliament over what they describe as the illegal takeover of 47,000 acres of land in Narok County.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Lands today, the locals accused private investors of grabbing land within the conservancy, putting wildlife habitats and thousands of livelihoods at risk. They were accompanied by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, who supported their case.
Committee chair Joash Nyamoko, the MP for North Mugirango, said more witnesses would be invited to give evidence and promised that the committee would visit the disputed land to fast-track a resolution.
“This Committee is fully seized of this matter, and we will be inviting more people to present necessary evidence so that we can resolve it,” said Mr. Nyamoko.
The petition was filed by Mr. Anthony Leseiyo on behalf of the community. He warned that locals stood to lose their only source of livelihood if the land grab was not stopped.
“This is our only hope because a lot is at stake. There are wild animals there and people’s livelihoods at stake,” said Mr. Leseiyo.
The contested land lies in the Olkiombo area, within the wider Maasai Mara Conservancy. Petitioners said its alienation has resulted in loss of public revenue, threatened tourism assets, and endangered the wildebeest migration corridor. They further warned that it could set a dangerous precedent for future land grabbing.
The Committee said it would summon officials from the Ministry of Lands to clarify the ownership of the land.
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