NAROK, Kenya – A group of opinion leaders from Bomet County has criticized Kipsigis politicians and elders for misleading their community regarding the long-standing land dispute in Angata Barrikoi, Transmara South, Narok County.
The leaders, led by activist Wesley Langat, known as Kocha Silibwet, urged Kipsigis leaders to stop inflaming tensions and instead provide their people with the legal truth about the contested 6,300-acre parcel.
Langat condemned the continued occupation of the land, which has been the subject of a bitter dispute between the Kipsigis and Maasai communities for over three decades.
Despite multiple court rulings consistently favoring the Maasai, some Kipsigis leaders have been encouraging their community to resist the legal decisions.
The deadly confrontation occurred on Monday, sparked by a long-standing dispute over land ownership, with local residents vehemently protesting a land survey. ynews.digital/newsflash/naro…
Langat emphasized that the Kipsigis community has lost all seven court cases related to the land and accused some leaders of politicizing the issue.
The conflict over the land has resulted in violence, including a deadly confrontation during a government-led land demarcation exercise earlier this week, which left five people dead and several others injured.
Langat rejected the idea that the clash was driven by ethnic conflict, instead attributing it to the manipulation of emotions by self-serving politicians.
Efforts to find a peaceful resolution had previously led to an out-of-court agreement, granting 1,500 acres of land to the Kipsigis as a goodwill gesture.
However, Langat expressed concern that this deal was now being undermined by certain leaders.
He called on the Kipsigis community to prioritize peace and lawful transitions rather than allowing political ambitions to fuel further hostility.
Youth leaders, including John Korir, echoed the call for calm, urging leaders to de-escalate tensions and focus on the future of the community.
This incident comes just days after five people lost their lives, and several others were injured in a violent confrontation with police over a disputed piece of land. ynews.digital/headline-1/ang…
