Country:

Kenya

Region:

Africa

Date:

April – December 2016

Implementor:

Funding Amount:

Details:

The SRM played an instrumental role in enabling ILEPA to quickly secure land rights over 700 acres for an Indigenous pastoralist community. Following ILEPA’s advocacy efforts and a series of community consultations, the National Land Commission and Ministry of Lands halted the illegal acquisition of land on the Maji Moto Group Ranch, returning land titles to their rightful owners.

The Group Ranch officials who had engaged in the illegal land acquisition have been suspended, and a peaceful change of leadership is underway. Accused Ranch officials have surrendered their titles to at least 700 acres of land. This significantly impacted the communities’ livelihoods: the suspended Ranch chairman surrendered 3 title deeds to 200 acres of public utility land, including a school, commercial center, and water point.

This move ensured access to education for future generations of the Group Ranch, and set a national precedent for the Land Commission to defend the collective rights of pastoralist communities.