Members from minority and marginalised communities in Baringo County have expressed optimism that existing historical land injustices of over six decades will be sorted out soon.
This is after the national government through the executive office of the president embarked on an exercise to address some of their plights.
Speaking during a public participation forum on the National draft policy on ethnic minorities and marginalised communities at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Marigat, the representatives from Talai, Torobeek, Illchamus, Endorois and Nubian communities said that it was the perfect opportunity for them to get assistance in an issue they have been seeking redress for for decades in vain.
The national secretary of Torobeek community association of Kenya Dr Benjamin Kipkulei thanked the government of President William Ruto for seeing it wise to have a comprehensive policy and laws which are aimed at ensuring inclusivity and responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of the ethnic minorities and marginalised communities.
Kipkulei noted that the initiative is a big boost especially to his community who were forcefully evicted and displaced in the colonial period from their original home in Tugen hills forest in Baringo County.
He stated that subsequent migration and evictions scattered them to a point where they have been assimilated with other minority groups and a few who remain are ashamed to come out to be recognised.
“With this policy and laws, we will be recognised and identified like other communities in Kenya,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Stephen Chelelgo from the Endorois community who were forcefully evicted from their ancestral lands around Lake Bogoria by the Kenyan government between 1973 and 1986 to pave the way for the establishment of a game reserve and national park for conservation and tourism.
Chelelgo said they have unsuccessfully launched a petition in various organisations and government agencies but are now hopeful that with the creation of a unit to address the historical grievances as well as collections of their views, they are sure that their problem will end soon.
The elder called for future public participation to be scaled down to sub-location level so as to capture the true picture on the ground and to discourage a few individuals who he believes have illegally acquired for themselves title deeds from community lands.
Former Baringo East Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Lotodo representing marginalised Pokot community in Tiaty constituency urged both levels of governments and other stakeholders to prioritise the area in terms of development and infrastructure in order to improve the living standards of the people which will automatically end perennial cattle rustling and banditry.
Lotodo attributed the minimal resources channelled to the region to the fact that the community was being recognised as part of the wider Kalenjin community but recommended their own code in order to understand their needs and for planning interventions and policies.
The former legislator who retired from politics to venture into peacebuilding in the North Rift region also recommended for a ministerial department to be formed which will deal solely with issues of minority groups and marginalised communities arguing that the formation of a unit in government may not be sustainable.
Commissioner at the National gender and equality commission (NGEC) Caroline Lentupuru who led the exercise assured residents that all their views will be captured in the draft policy which will find its way to the cabinet before becoming a law.
She encouraged all those who missed the public participation exercise to write a memorandum and submit it to the minorities and marginalised affairs unit (MMAU) by October 27 of this year.
Lentupuru promised that her organisation will come back to the grassroots to monitor the implementation of the policy once it is ratified.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
