NAIROBI, Kenya – A new report by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has revealed that less than two per cent of Kenyans own more than half of the country’s arable land, deepening economic inequality and leaving millions of smallholders and young people without opportunities to secure livelihoods or access credit.
Titled “Who Owns Kenya?”, the report links the extreme concentration of land to Kenya’s ongoing economic and food crises.
It shows that while a tiny elite controls vast tracts—often acquired irregularly or left idle—the majority of farmers operate on small plots averaging just 1.2 hectares.
In contrast, 0.1 per cent of large-scale landholders possess farms averaging 77.8 hectares, collectively holding 39 per cent of cultivated land.
“The disproportionate ownership of land is suppressing agricultural productivity, driving food insecurity and locking out young people and women from meaningful economic participation,” said KHRC executive director Davis Malombe.
The findings highlight that Kenya’s hunger situation is closely tied to land inequality. Currently, 2.2 million people face acute food insecurity, with the country scoring 25 on the Global Hunger Index—a rating classified as “serious.”
Community lands are especially vulnerable, the report warns, citing slow registration processes, forged titles, boundary disputes, and politically motivated evictions.
The Coast region is among the hardest hit: over 65 per cent of residents in Kilifi, Kwale, and Lamu lack formal land titles, effectively rendering them squatters on ancestral land.
These counties consistently underperform on health, education, and income indicators.
Despite land’s high economic value, the report notes that land-based taxes contribute less than one per cent of county revenue in most devolved units.
Prime urban and coastal estates—such as Karen, Muthaiga, Diani, Mtwapa, and Watamu—have been undervalued for decades, allowing wealthy owners to pay significantly less in taxes than they should.
KHRC argues that reforming land taxation is central to addressing these inequalities.
A robust and progressive land value tax, the commission says, could discourage speculation, unlock idle land for productive use, and raise an estimated Sh125 billion annually—nearly double current social protection allocations.
“Kenya needs economic policies that put people first, protect rights, and ensure fair distribution of national resources,” Malombe said. “This includes reducing corruption, strengthening transparency, reforming land taxation, and supporting communities that have been ignored or displaced.”
The report traces the roots of current disparities to colonial-era land dispossession and the failure of post-independence governments to reverse historical injustices.
Today, land remains the single largest source of wealth and political influence, with ordinary citizens facing heavy taxes on income and consumption while the wealthy benefit from expansive land holdings and minimal taxation.
KHRC emphasizes that fair land taxation could provide predictable funding for essential services such as healthcare, education, and social protection, while reducing reliance on regressive taxes that disproportionately burden low-income households.
With only 20 per cent of Kenya’s land suitable for productive use, and 75 per cent of the population living in these high-potential areas, scarcity and unequal distribution continue to drive conflict and entrench poverty.
Attempts to regulate landholding sizes through legislation have stalled, and while the National Land Commission (NLC) has made some efforts at reform, implementation remains limited.
The KHRC report underscores that addressing land inequality is critical for economic justice, food security, and social stability in Kenya.
