Land Disputes in Upper and Lower Eastern Kenya Spark Security Concerns, Murkomen Warns

High-Stakes Land Disputes Fuel Security Fears in Kenya’s Eastern Regions

If you thought land rows in Kenya were a thing of the past, think again. According to Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, the fight over land titles, illegal grabs, and overlapping claims is heating up, especially in the semi-arid stretches of Upper and Lower Eastern Kenya. During visits to Tharaka Nithi and Kitui counties, Murkomen didn’t mince his words: unresolved land issues are no longer just a legal headache—they’re a full-blown security nightmare.

Take Kitui County for example. The situation there has gotten tense as farmers and herders spar over boundaries, triggering violent clashes that spill across villages. Land titling confusion means families that relied on their plots for decades suddenly find their claims challenged, sometimes by total strangers waving competing documents. And these aren’t rare cases—the jumbled land registry system has left open wounds all over the region.

But there’s another twist to the story: so-called “contracted squatters.” These aren’t typical squatters simply seeking shelter. Murkomen called out the practice of people being paid off to occupy private or public land, sometimes with a wink from politicians or even judges. Machakos, for instance, has seen public parks and public land quietly taken over by organized groups, turning land grabbing into a lucrative business rather than an act of desperation. This blend of organized crime and political backroom deals has made sorting out rightful ownership nearly impossible for local administrators without higher-level intervention.

The problem doesn’t stop with humans, either. Murkomen pointed to a rise in human-wildlife conflict, particularly around Kitui. As illegal herders push their livestock into protected reserves, they clash with locals, sometimes raiding homesteads and stealing cattle. The Kenya Wildlife Service has had to step in forcefully, increasing patrols and chasing off grazing groups that ignore conservation rules.

Government Cracks Down: Pushing for Documentation and Collaboration

Murkomen was clear: piecemeal responses aren’t going to work anymore. Evictions from grabbed public land are on the table, along with a full audit and proper titling of government property. He wants to see local chiefs, county administrators, and the National Police Service working as a unit—not just on land issues, but also against problems like illicit brewing that often go hand-in-hand with illegal settlements and lawlessness.

The CS also threw the spotlight on the long-awaited Okongo Taskforce report. It’s been gathering dust in Parliament, but for many communities, its recommendations are supposed to be the key to finally untangling decades of land messes. The Taskforce was set up to dive deep into these disputes and offer practical solutions—from better surveying and digital land records to clear arbitration protocols when rival claimants refuse to budge.

Boundary fights between counties are adding another layer of tension. The Kitui-Tana River border, for instance, is less of a line and more a battleground, with both sides staking claims over grazing routes and watering holes. Murkomen is now pushing MPs to step in and settle these disputes before they boil over into major resource conflicts.

There’s no silver bullet in sight, but Murkomen’s message was blunt: unless practical steps are taken—and fast—the cycle of land rows, violence, and insecurity will keep spinning in Eastern Kenya for years to come.