The first ever Community Land Summit brought together all stakeholders to share their experiences and take practical actions that will ensure the rights of communities and Indigenous people are protected.The summit believes that meaningful engagements with various stakeholders will advocate for formal,legal recognition of Indigenous peoples and community lands to guarantee tenure security .Government actors and other stakeholders discussed on the community land registration processes 5 years after the enactment of the CLA2016 act.Communities from 24 counties around kenya were well represented .
Commissioner Tiya Galgalo said"The coordination between the government and communities to actualize and implement the CLA2016 by allocating the funds for civic education and monitoring the process for a better community,for us to succeed in registration of the community lands,we need to work together."
Deputy governor Samburu county Julius Leseeto said "The management of lands is an important aspect in our counties ,in 5 years we will be able to have covered all the communities in the country to take charge with group ranches having their titles."
Hon Alex Mburi,CAS Land also emphasizes on the critical role of county government in the implementation of the CLA2016 ,that they must be encouraged to make direct budgetary allocation towards the land registration processes.
"Livestock production is increasingly changing ,lets adapt on new lifestyles and technologies in livestock keeping.We live together and support each bother" H.E Deputy Governor of Laikipia county John Mwaniki
Ms. Achar Truphosa representing chair of the working group appointed by CS of Lands Hon. Farida Karoney answering the questions and concerns from community representatives "Let us be sensitive to cultural issues when it comes to public participation forums during Community Land discussions. We should include the women and the youth in these discussions as they are also key stakeholders, One thing we need to ask ourselves is what are we doing right now to secure community land rights for now and for future generations? Let's not rush to the courts first for land disputes happening on our communities. There are FPIC regulations about solving it amicably within first" Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) is aimed to establish bottom-up participation and consultation of communities prior to the beginning of development on ancestral land.
"Economic empowerment is a way of protecting community rights,we are far from other communities in terms of community land in Africa, other communities in the rest of the world are far above us. We need to emulate them because we need to know after the certificate then what? Communities need strong community land structure that involves strong dispute resolution mechanisms. They will be able to be in control their community Land " Dr. Sena Kanyinke
"If you don't have land you can't eat, we are urging the registrar to look into our pleas about the community" Ann Anyango, Siaya County
"Is there a deliberate effort by the government to delay community land registration by not posting land registrars in some counties and some Registrars going missing? "asked a concerned Guyo H Boboo, Marsabit County.
Another question posed by Charles Lokai, Turkana County: " What steps are being taken to address the inter county disputes about boundaries and resources?" this are among the many questions asked by the large number of community members who turned up for the Land summit ,which the concerned authorities tried to answer amicably.
The 3 day national event was a huge success as many concerns were dealt with as the registration of communal lands continues in the country.