BY SHABAN OMAR
Three clans in Gora village, Samburu sub-county, Kwale County, have threatened to use voodoo if they are not compensated for 200 acres of ancestral land allegedly taken by a public entity for development.
The disputed land is part of the South Samburu Group Ranch, which has long been owned by the Mwayawa, Mlaire, and Mwachanda clans.
Family members claim the public entity is attempting to seize the land by falsely asserting that it was donated to them.
The clan members insist that no such agreement was made and demand rightful compensation before any development takes place.
Led by Mlai Mremo Mlai, the families warned that failure to compensate them would force them to summon their ancestral spirits and cast doom upon the land.
βLet them not play with us. If they think they can take our land without compensating us, we will cast a spell on it. Nothing will grow there, and even chickens wonβt dare pass through,β warned Mlai.
The old man said their ancestors fought to protect the land, and they will not allow it to be taken away unfairly.
Mlai said they are ready for dialogue, but if ignored, they will have no choice but to seek justice through traditional means.
He maintained that they have historical and cultural ties to the land, making it impossible to relinquish without due process.
Another clan member, Yawa Ndegwa Mwagari, vowed that the families would never settle for less than what they deserve.
He said that any agreement regarding the land must be properly documented and follow legal procedures.
βWe want to be paid, and everything should be openly discussed and put in writing, with both our lawyers present as witnesses,β he said.
Mwagari also called on local leaders and relevant authorities to intervene before the dispute escalates further.
He urged the government to ensure that justice is served, warning that failure to address the matter could lead to serious consequences.
Mwagari added that the family members are peaceful people but expect their rights to be respected and compensated for what rightfully belongs to them.
βWe are not here to cause trouble, but we will not sit back and watch as our ancestral land is taken from us. We demand justice, and we will not accept anything less,β he said.
According to Mwagari, the public entity is employing divide-and-rule tactics to weaken their unity, a strategy the families strongly condemned.
He said that they are not seeking favors and will not be swayed by empty promises of jobs or community development projects.
Mwagari instead, said they are demanding rightful compensation for their ancestral land.
“We are not interested in handouts or deceptive offers. All we want is fair compensation and proper legal agreements that respect our rights,” he said.
Elias Simba Wandegwa revealed that in 2019, the National Land Commission (NLC) ruled that the disputed land should not be taken for development until the affected communities and relevant committees were fully compensated and satisfied.
He alleged that the public entity is ignoring the ruling and attempting to forcefully take the land without following due process.
βThe NLC made it clear that no development should proceed until compensation is done. Why is this entity disregarding that decision?β Wandegwa questioned.
He urged authorities to uphold the commissionβs directive and ensure justice is served, warning that failure to do so could lead to heightened tensions among the affected families.
Wandegwa claimed that the families are currently being pressured to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would force them to accept minimal compensation, an offer they strongly reject.
He said that the families would only agree to a fair and transparent compensation process that aligns with the 2019 National Land Commission ruling and the current land prices.
Wandegwa called on President William Ruto to intervene, emphasizing that other major government projects, such as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), and Mwache Dam, ensured fair compensation for affected persons.
βIf those displaced by the SGR, KETRACO, and Mwache Dam projects were properly compensated, why should our case be any different? We are also Kenyan citizens, and we deserve the same treatment,” he said.
Lubando Bahasi urged the government to uphold justice and ensure that the affected families receive rightful compensation before any development takes place on their ancestral land.
He clarified that the families are not opposed to the project but are simply demanding fair treatment.
