Government moves to enforce peace deal in 50-year Angata Barrikoi land dispute

The government has resorted to enforcing a consent agreement in a decades-long land dispute in Angata Barrikoi, Transmara, in a bid to end hostilities between two communities that have been at odds for more than 50 years.

The move follows President William Ruto’s directive after meeting representatives of the warring sides.

Lands Principal Secretary Generali Nixon Korir said on Thursday that he had been dispatched by the President to oversee the start of the process. Speaking during a public gathering at Angata Barrikoi, the PS noted that the government would now implement the agreement reached between the rival groups.

“I have been sent here by the President after he met with representatives of the different communities living here. We will implement the consent you reached after the meetings you held with His Excellency the President,” Korir told elders at Ongata Barrikoi Girls High School.

Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli, who was present, welcomed the PS’s visit and commended the President for his initiative to resolve the matter.

“We have come to accompany PS Korir, who has been sent by the President to conclude the resolution of the dispute that has pitted the two communities living here against each other for many years,” Sunkuli said.

Emurua Dikirr MP Johanah Ngeno also backed the government’s intervention, urging residents to uphold peace as the process unfolds.

“We appreciate the government’s initiative, and we want the people to ensure they live in harmony,” Ngeno said.

The PS and other leaders attributed a recent attack on government officials by locals to misunderstanding and suspicion.

Korir directed the area Deputy County Commissioner to coordinate a 10-member committee that will work with surveyors when they begin operations next Wednesday.

At the heart of the conflict is a 6,300-acre parcel in Transmara South, Narok County, commonly referred to as Moyoi, Ongata Barikoi, or Angata Barikoi land, claimed by both the Maasai and Kipsigis communities.

The Maasai, represented by the Ongata Barikoi Farmers’ Cooperative Society, assert ownership through ancestral inheritance and title deeds, a position they say has been upheld by the courts on seven occasions.

In a bid to ease tensions, an out-of-court consent agreement was reached granting the Kipsigis a 1,500-acre portion, though the Maasai have retained the right to reclaim full ownership should the deal collapse.

Despite the arrangement, the dispute flared in April 2025 when Lands ministry officials, escorted by GSU officers, attempted to demarcate the land.

The exercise was violently disrupted by locals opposed to the process, leaving five civilians dead and several others, including police officers, injured. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights condemned the use of lethal force by security officers and called for accountability, judicial review and restoration of calm.

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Following the clashes, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanha ordered investigations into the killings, transferred implicated officers and appealed for restraint.