Residents of Maiella division overlooking the Mau ranges in Naivasha are now hopeful that peace is finally theirs to enjoy following a landmark Court of Appeal ruling last year (2009) over a four decades old land dispute over 16,000 hectares of land. 

 The dispute dates back to 1964 when the Italian settler recalled only as “Roska” by many left for his country.  According to Maiella Assistant Chief Julius Njoroge some of his workers formed a Cooperative to purchase the piece of land which is an Italian term for a collection of ranges joined together on the ground.  The Maasais on the other hand, he said claimed the land as their ancestral land.

However the court in its ruling last year apportioned 4,287 hectares of land to the group of Maasai families who claimed that the land was “their ancestral land,” while the members of the Ngati farmers Co-operative society who had bought the land from the settler retain the estimated 11,713 hectares.  The resource based conflict has been perceived as being tribal since the members of the Ngati cooperative have mainly been from the Kikuyu community.

According to AMWIK Executive Director Jane Thuo, the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) first heard of the plight of Maiella residents from some members of the 10 groups it has been working with in Naivasha on a Peace, Human Rights and Reconciliation project since 2008.  Thuo says for the groups the recurrent conflict flare ups in Maiella were a threat to their peace in Naivasha.  Coincidentally the court ruling was delivered as AMWIK sought resources to expand the Peace programme beyond Karagita and the environs. Naivasha DO 1 Mr Timothy Nderitu while opening the Maiella radio listening group Facilitators workshop held on 25th and 26th of May welcomed AMWIK and Ford Foundation’s entry into Maiella saying he was confident that the land dispute resolution in the area was going to be a “case study” for many.  He added that peace is like a young infant which needs constant nurturing. He said the entry of AMWIK and other organizations interested in preaching peace will help the community in ensuring that peace is sustained.

 Quoting an African proverb, the DO 1 cautioned: “Nyungu huvunjikia mlangoni” (The pot carrying water from the river often breaks at the doorstep).  He asked the communities to be extra careful as the survey work and subdivision of the land is done for the matter to be resolved once and for all as the losses suffered were too great in terms of destroyed properties, and deaths. He said the Government was purposed towards achieving peace adding that great progress had been attained towards Agenda 4 of the Coalition Agreement.  He condemned tribalism saying no one applied to be born where they are. 

Already AMWIK presence in Maiella has begun to be felt.  Recently AMWIK Naivasha coordinator Peter Kiarie intervened to forestall potential conflict after people perceived to be outsiders also sought to become beneficiaries.  Work is being done to address possible conflict areas amongst them desire by the Maasai community for allocation of a bigger chunk of land, resistance from some of the members of Ngati Cooperative Society to have the piece of land released, demand by outsiders amongst the Maasai to be included as beneficiaries.

Area Chief Francis Kuria shared his difficult experience in the past trying to mediate peace where he was often viewed by each of the opposing parties as favouring the other group.  He said it has been very difficult to involve women especially from the Maasai community in the peace mediation programmes.

The 10 community groups trained included; Wendani Group,Oloomongi women Group,Ilairemuk group, Olomaramunyak group, Nkammpani women Group, Enduata Youth Group, Nguguti Women Group, Dry Horticulture Self Help Group, Maiella Advisory Youth Group and Maeilla Umoja Self Help Group.  The groups were trained on how to conduct community radio listening sessions and were each given a radio handset and wet cells.  They were also given radio programmes to listen to and are expected to have focus group discussion sessions after listening and make homegrown decisions.

The groups were also taught basic media use skills.  Feedback from the participants was that none of the daily newspapers is distributed in Maiella and only five of the 22 participants access a newspaper weekly. AMWIK work in Maiella will last a year and will include community outreach activities such as football matches, tree planting and cultural events.