Over 4,000 residents of Kondoo Farm in Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu County, have raised their voices in protest against an impending eviction from the 575-acre parcel of land. The residents, who have lived on the land since the colonial era, are outraged after a private holdings company served them with a three-month notice to vacate. This notice, published on December 3, 2024, threatens the families with forceful eviction if they fail to comply.
Led by Bishop Paul Gathuo and Simon Bungei, the protesters are demanding that the government intervene to stop what they describe as an unlawful eviction. According to Gathuo, they were shocked to receive the notice, as they have always believed their ownership of the land was legitimate. The land, registered as LR 10394, was allocated to them by the late President Jomo Kenyatta during his regime. Additionally, the residents were issued with title deeds during the reign of President Daniel Moi, which they maintain proves their legal ownership.
The residents have carried out various developments on the land over the years, including building homes, planting crops, and burying their ancestors. For many, the land represents a deep historical connection, with their grandparents having lived on the farm as squatters before it was formally allocated to them. The eviction notice has caused deep distress among the families, with some elderly residents reportedly experiencing depression and frustration due to the uncertainty surrounding their future.
“We were surprised to see a newspaper notice asking us to vacate the land, yet we have never had a dispute over its ownership,” Bishop Gathuo explained during the protest. He emphasized that the community has never encountered any legal challenges to their occupation of the land in the past. According to the notice, the residents have been accused of occupying the land without lawful authority, and they have been instructed to stop all activities on it, including removing buildings, crops, and trees, within the next three months.
The land, valued at over Sh1 billion, is currently under the ownership of a private company, which claims that the residents’ occupation is illegal. The notice warns that failure to vacate the property will result in forceful eviction, further escalating tensions between the residents and the purported landowners. The protesters, however, maintain that their ownership is legitimate and that the titles issued to them by the government are genuine.
Gathuo and Bungei have called on President William Ruto to intervene and prevent the eviction. They argue that they have lived on the land peacefully under the rule of previous presidents, and they are perplexed as to why the issue has only surfaced now. “We did not have any problems during the regimes of all the former presidents, and we wonder why people should emerge to frustrate us now,” Bungei remarked. He further emphasized that any attempt to evict the families would be met with resistance.
The dispute has sparked concerns about the validity of the titles issued to the residents. Gathuo questioned whether the government that granted them the titles was legitimate. “We have genuine titles which must be respected,” he asserted. For many, the land is not only a home but also a final resting place for their ancestors, and they are determined to protect it at all costs.
Other community leaders, including Lucy Too and youth leader Elijah Kemboi, voiced their support for the protestors, highlighting the emotional toll the eviction threat has taken on the residents. “Some of our parents who are aged have been exposed to frustration and depression after being told of the possibility of eviction,” Bungei shared. The residents are calling on the government to investigate the land dispute and uphold their rights to remain on the land they have called home for decades.
The Kondoo Farm eviction issue remains unresolved, with tensions running high as the deadline approaches. The residents are hopeful that the government will address their concerns and protect their rights to the land they legally occupy.
