By:Betty Luke
A section of Isaak and Harti representatives who have started a four day walk to statehouse protesting historical land injustice. PHOTO/Kilele Media
The Isaak and Harti, a subtribe of the Somali community in Isiolo County has begun a four-day walk to the State House seeking President William Ruto’s intervention over what they describe as years of historical land injustice.
Led by community chairperson Abdulrahman Osman, the group said the walk is intended to directly appeal to President Ruto to suspend land registration process for Burat, Ngaremara and Oldonyiro wards that is set to begin on August 11, 2026.
According to the community, they were forcefully evictedfrom their ancestral land in 1965 resulting into massive loss of lives, livelihood, homes and decades of marginalization.
Although they lodged a formal complaint with the National Land Commision (NLC) in 2021, the minority community said the contested land was later awarded to the government and other beneficiaries ignoring their claim.
“If title deeds are issued as per the government’s plan of land registration, our future generations will be deprived off their right to an ancestral home,” said Mr Osman.
According to the official, the community had exhausted all alternative dispute resolution mechanisms available and were convinced it was only the head of state who would support them access justice.
“For sixty years we have pursued justice peacefully and through lawful institutions. We are not seeking confrontation. We are asking that our voices be heard before a decision is taken that may permanently extinguish our historical claim. Justice delayed should not become justice denied,” he said.
Community member Hassan Halakhe said the walk was a peaceful match not against the government but to call on the government to undertake an assessment of the disputed land before embarking on registering it under other communities.
“The government must ensure our indigenous culture, land and heritage is upheld and protected at all cost. We have equal rights with other communities and those rights must be respected,” he said.
Oldonyiro and Ngaremara wards are largely inhabited by Samburu and Turkana communities respectively while Burat ward hosts diverse communities including Somali, Turkana, Meru, Boran among others.
The group expects to arrive at the State House on Friday morning where they said they will present a petition to President Ruto at his official residence.
The move comes amid growing issues over land ownership with tens of community members decrying being disposed off their land by alleged grabbers.
The ongoing multi-million development projects including the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project, the export abattoir, LAPPSET program have been blamed for the increased land dispute issues.
