TINDERET, Kenya – Two young men were shot dead on Monday in clashes between police and residents along the Tinderet-Chemelil border, reigniting a decades-old land dispute that has long simmered in the area.
The violence broke out in Kimwani when hundreds of armed youth stormed a disputed parcel of land spanning several hundred acres.
Protesters demanded the eviction of families who have occupied the land for more than 50 years, claiming it was illegally seized during former President Daniel arap Moi’s administration.
According to locals, the contested land was initially allocated to the now-defunct Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) before later being handed over to senior security officials—a move that has fueled resentment among community members for generations.
Police say officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) were deployed after demonstrators engaged them in running battles for nearly half a day.
Officers opened fire to disperse the crowds, killing two men aged between 24 and 30 and injuring an unconfirmed number of others.
Nandi County Police Commander Thomas Ototo confirmed the deaths, saying security agencies had been reinforced to restore calm.
Despite the heavy police presence, residents insisted the land belongs to them and urged leaders to pursue a peaceful resolution.
“We are asking our leaders to intervene. This is our ancestral land, and we want justice, not bloodshed,” said Judy Chepchir, a resident of Chebonet.
Others blamed successive governments for historical land injustices.
“Our land was taken away in the 1960s after independence. First it went to ADC, then it was later allocated to top military officers. We want it returned to us,” said Simon Terer, a Kimwani resident.
The community claims they have been forced onto less fertile land where their livestock can barely survive.
“We deserve to live where we have always belonged, not in the barren hills where even the grass can’t feed our cows,” lamented Mathew Kiplelach.
The incident adds to the long list of unresolved land disputes in Kenya that continue to fuel conflict, particularly in Rift Valley counties.
