Land
A section of members of the Keek-Onyokie Community trust land located in Kibuku area Kajiado West have called for election of new officials to manage their 2700-acre piece of community land.
In a meeting held at Kibiku area Thursday, the more than 3000 members said they were ready for elections as directed by the High Court and declared May 10, 2024, as the day of their election. The High Court on April 4, 2024, ruled that the community must elect new trustees within 90 days in a bid to end 11 years of leadership differences and unending squabbles.
“I direct the Keekonyokie Community Trust to hold fresh elections of the trustees within ninety (90) days [before July 3, 2024],” read the ruling delivered virtually by Judge Christine Ochieng.
When the community first received the land from the government, it was handed over to the interim trustees led by the Chairman Moses ole Parantai, who managed it until 2013, when the first election was held. In that election, Moses ole Monik was elected the new chairman, however Parantai is alleged to have refused to hand over the instruments of power, including the title of the land to the new team.
Those who were elected in 2013 went to court to demand that the Parantai team hand them the land title. However, the court ruled that a new election be held to vote in new officials. In the Thursday meeting, about 3,000 Keek-Onyokie members led by Justus Ole Manyara endorsed Monik to be their flag bearer in the May 10, 2024, election.
Manyara said the community respected the April 4, High Court ruling that advised the community to have an election to elect new leaders.
Ole Manyara said the community also endorsed that they would prefer the queue voting system. Monik said he was ready for elections and called on his supporters to maintain peace and respect the outcome of the election.
He said the members were tired of the leadership squabbles that had threatened to split the community and added that his opponent must be ready to surrender the title deed of the land to him if he wins. “I am calling on all my supporters to maintain peace during and after the election. If I win, I demand that the title of the land be handed over to the new officials,” said Monik.
The two factions have been fighting for leadership of the community trust land for the last two decades.