Murkomen: Killings of elderly in Kisii driven by land disputes, not witchcraft
He noted that the Ministry of Lands is working on ways to speed up succession processes to address the disputes, while also exploring land consolidation to ease growing pressure from fragmentation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said that the killing of elderly people in the Gusii region is rooted in land inheritance conflicts rather than witchcraft claims.
Speaking during a meeting in the region on Friday, Murkomen dismissed the notion that older persons are being lynched because of witchcraft, saying such allegations are only being used as cover to grab family land.
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“There are many cases of murder in this region, and reports of older people engaged in witchcraft are allegations that have no basis. It is not about witchcraft; this is an excuse. The real truth is that younger people are eliminating their elders so that they can quickly inherit land,” the CS said.
He noted that the Ministry of Lands is working on ways to speed up succession processes to address the disputes, while also exploring land consolidation to ease growing pressure from fragmentation.
“The solution also lies in land consolidation. Land fragmentation has created pressure, and if there is a county at risk of being slum, in 20 or 30 years from now, it’s this,” he added.
Murkomen urged the community to embrace the government’s affordable housing programme, saying it would help reduce the strain caused by limited land.
He revealed that plans are underway to relocate prisons from the central business district to make room for housing projects that will also decongest towns.
“Heavily investing in affordable housing will ease the pressure. Our ministry is set to relocate the prisons from within the CBD to create space for the housing project and decongest the town, and it will serve as a model for now and the future,” Murkomen said.
The CS further encouraged families to adopt public cemeteries for burials as another way of conserving land.
At the same time, he raised concern about the rise in sexual and gender-based violence cases in Western Kenya, noting that many incidents involve relatives.
He instructed chiefs to sensitise residents and encourage survivors to report abuse.
Murkomen also addressed preparations for upcoming by-elections and said the government will continue with its heightened crackdown on drug and substance abuse.
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