Out of the Box Research & Action in Collaboration with CEMIRIDE & MPIDO

WISP-IUCN

Pastoralist Organization for Resource Rights

Summary

Kitengela Case Study

Kenya

Background

This case study is unique because it documents the lived experiences as well as the agency, advocacy and organization of pastoralists living on group ranches who are subject to encroaching urbanization and land policies gone wrong. Kitengela lies in the peri-urban periphery zone of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Encroaching urbanization, recently created national parks, an expanding industrial export processing zone and ill-conceived land policies threaten the lives and communal lands of Maasai pastoralists. All of these proximities create some very interesting and challenging problems for the Maasai community.

I find it is very important to have a case study describing these influences in a peri-urban region. There seem to be enormous pressure on pastoralists land.

It would be good to describe more thoroughly what is a group ranch, how the Maasai organized themselves on these group ranches, who owned the ranchland, are the ranches property of the Maasai also in a formal sense; or rather in customary use? Is transhumance taking place on the territory of these ranches only? Are they sedentary, mobile ore a combination?

Are the national parks on territory formerly used by pastoralists? Can they still use it – is there an agreement or is this area forbidden for pastoralists?

The main land issues centre around the sub-division of land in some of the group ranches in Kitengela. Such a policy has lead to increased economic poverty, the widening of the socio-economic gap between Maasai elites and economically poorer Maasai women and men. The sub-division of land has also given rise to land grabbing by outsiders. The sub-divided land is often used for urban expansion, uncontrolled mining, and other industrial interventions.

Why was the land sub-divided, Who owns this land? Who did it, to what end? Why did this lead to more poverty? In the case of the encroaching utilisation of the divided land, is this land sold to the users? If so, by whom?

The sub-division of land has created a critical problem for pastoralists, because normally, livestock needs to be able to graze openly based on cultural relations and social relations of reciprocity amongst inhabitants. This has changed in recent times as other groups of immigrants have moved into the area and put up fences and mining interests have gutted the land for mining.

Who are these groups of immigrants. Where did they come from? Why?

This restricts grazing of animals, which is central to pastoralists’ way of life. Nonetheless, amidst this stark picture, Maasai women and men have organized and lobbied for creative solutions that have begun to engage legal mechanisms to gain better control over critical resources.

Process of Organization of Pastoralists & Success Stories

This case study highlights three inter-related success stories, including the following:

  • The creation of a Cultural Village and a Resource Centre that allows for the preservation and show-casing of Maasai culture, a Maasai base for development and research in the area, as well as income generating opportunities from tourists (such as selling Maasai handicrafts, traditional Maasai homes as tourist accommodation, a guided tour of Maasai cultural heritage, etc.);
  • The implementation of a leasing programme in collaboration wtih the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) that monetarily compensates pastoralists for not putting up fencing on pastoralist land, and thereby economically valuing pastoralist land, and creating a corridor for pastoralist movements as well as wildlife migrations;
  • The creation of a “consolation” programme in collaboration with the KWS that compensates pastoralists when wildlife from the national parks kills livestock or destroys home gardens and Maasai property.

It should be noted that the success stories are ongoing and a work in progress, as there are elements of the success stories that still need attention and resources. However, pastoralists from the area are actively dialoguing with KWS and other national, international and community based organizations, as well as national policy processes. And while power relations often privilege more power economic and political outside interests, Maasai women and women are mobilizing and actively engaging in various mechanisms to have their voices heard, their needs addressed and their rights upheld. This case study documents the problems as well as the agency and advocacy of pastoralist to successfully find locally appropriate solutions.

It would be good to have a picture on how the Maasai organize themselves – are these traditional or new structures? Who is involved – poor and rich Maasai? How are decisions taken?

What about the rights to their land? What exactly is this leasing programme? Who leases land to whom? Why compensation for not fencing?