Govt to Audit Conservancy Lands to End Fight With Local Communities

The government is set to begin reviewing land owned by conservancies amid escalating complaints of conflict between privately owned conservancies and local communities. 

According to Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, government data shows that the conservancies hold larger pieces of land than they legally own. 

“Most conservancies in Kenya hold land that is bigger than they legally should—a result of poor documentation and records in terms of acreage and boundaries,” CS Wahome said in a statement after a consultative meeting on community land registration and governance.

According to available data, Kenya has over 230 wildlife conservancies, covering approximately 9.04 million hectares, which is about 16 per cent of the country’s total land area. To get a better picture, that is equal to 12 million football fields.

“We shall review so that land that is not within the documented areas or boundaries is reverted to government for public use,” declared CS Wahome. 

Wahome declared the review, which comes as reports of rising conflicts between the conservancies and the communities. The establishment of conservancies has led to conflicts over land rights and resource use. 

In regions like Laikipia County, tensions have arisen between pastoralist communities and landowners, particularly during periods of drought.

Critics argue that some conservancy models have resulted in the displacement of indigenous communities and the loss of traditional land rights. 

Earlier this month, a DW documentary highlighted the challenge of communities in Isiolo, where a conservancy that has turned into a carbon credit-capturing area has displaced locals and denied them critical grazing lands.  The carbon credits deal signed with some of the largest tech giants from the US has brought in billions, according to conservative estimates. However, the community says it has barely enjoyed its fruits.

According to the community, some of their herders have been killed while attempting to graze within the conservancies, whose land is said to belong to the local community.

Despite the shrinking grazing lands for pastoral communities in Northern and Central Kenya, the government is now asking the communities to accept the building of more towns and cities.

“Fast developing countries are building new cities from scratch in areas away from existing ones because this gives them a chance to plan. With the support of our county governments, I urge our communities to accept the bringing up of new towns and cities. We shall be keen on the interests of communities,“ asked CS Wahome.