Gov’t Suspends Creation Of New Administrative Units In Eastern, N. Eastern

ISIOLO, Kenya, Jun, 7 – The government has suspended the creation of new administrative units in Eastern and North Eastern regions until after the general elections. It will also put on hold land adjudication and issuance of title deeds in areas around contested boundaries and disputed territory administration between counties for the same period.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the moratorium that will affect sub-counties, locations and sub-locations will allow for more consultations with leaders and the general public in the areas experiencing boundary disputes and conflicts.

He said although the creation of new units is intended to deliver government services closer to citizens, the process had been hijacked by leaders for political aggrandizement and partisan agendas.

“Even when we have tried to create some of these administrative units with all the good intentions, slowly, but surely, it looks like we are engendering a new conflict,” Dr. Matiang’i said.

Speaking after chairing a meeting of security teams of Isiolo and Meru counties, the CS said land dispute was a key contributor to the cross-county conflicts. The moratorium will enable the Ministry of Land and relevant institutions to device less polarizing and effective adjudication and resource-sharing strategies Several counties in the regions have been experiencing cross-border conflicts around disputed boundaries and access to resources such as land, pasture and water.

These include Meru-Isiolo, Meru-Tharaka Nithi, Isiolo-Garissa, Kitui-Tana River, Makueni-Taita Taveta and MakueniKajiado. The CS described as “discriminatory” some of the resource management policies developed by county governments, but stated that their jurisdictional mandates will be respected in the ongoing consultations to enhance inclusive resource sharing.

He said the effects of climate change were evident in the surge in the number and frequency of deadly conflicts around pasture and water in the affected counties.

To mitigate the conflicts, the National Government will work closely with county administrations to work out acceptable water and pasture access treaties especially between nomadic pastoralists and farmers.

“We hope to develop the mechanism of putting together these communities that are involved through their leaders so that resources are shared peacefully,” the CS said.

On the banditry attacks and flare-ups over grazing fields along the border of Meru and Isiolo, Dr. Matiang’i said specialised security units in the region will be redeployed to patrol the boundary