Tension Escalates in Kibiko as Leaders Blocked from Disputed Land

Tensions remain high in Kibiko, Kajiado West, after local leaders, including Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and Kajiado Woman Representative Leah Sankaire, were barred by police from accessing disputed communal land on Monday.

The move came amid rising conflict over the planned subdivision of 2,800 acres of land valued at around Sh100 billion, a process that has revived long-standing ownership disputes between rival community factions.

Security officers barricaded access roads and fired teargas to disperse residents and leaders attempting to enter the property. The dispute escalated on December 22 when surveyors began subdividing the land, sparking protests from a faction claiming they were being dispossessed.

Last Friday, clashes between residents and security personnel left one police officer dead, several people injured, and property destroyed.

Speaking to the press, Governor Lenku condemned the violence and said leaders must be allowed to guide the community and ensure justice. He emphasized that the Kibiko land belongs to residents through the Keekonyokie Trust and warned against any unlawful attempts to displace them.

“This land belongs to the people of Kibiko; we will not allow our residents to be displaced unlawfully,” Lenku said.

Residents have called on the government to intervene, citing over 20 years of unresolved disputes, and warned that continued unrest could disrupt families, destroy property, and result in further loss of life.