Fights over land set up parents against children in Kisii
Home in Bobasi constituency, Kisii County where four people were killed and houses torched over a land dispute.
In cases akin to the biblical prodigal son, land problems in Kisii have become a trigger for the increasing cases of murders where authorities are burning the midnight oil seeking a better approach to address the trend.
Children have turned against their parents as they force to inherit their property.
Parents have become victims of their sons’ and daughters' greed as they seek to take over their land in deadly succession disputes that have left a trail of death in the region.
Late last year, two brothers were arrested over the death of their father in Raganga village in Kitutu Chache North.
The two killed their father before dumping his lifeless body into a well filled with water.
According to neighbours, the two killed the old man after he allegedly “took too long to die”.
Forcefully inherit
They wanted to forcefully inherit his property after a three-year land dispute.
“They have always wanted to be given their share of land and wealth, something which had been delayed because their father was still alive,” said a close relative.
A review of media reports from the county in recent months paints a grim picture where family members are turning against each other over land ownership disputes.
Nyanza Regional Commissioner Zipora Mworoa on Monday visited Kisii and met with national government administrators.
Land disputes were among the issues discussed widely.
She said, “As you may be aware, we have had several incidences of land matters in this county, which if they had been known in good time, we could have prevented the carnage that has occurred. We have agreed that we are going to be proactive in the way we conduct our business. We have also agreed to handle land matters in a very, very careful manner to make sure that we do not have a recurrence of these similar incidences in future.”
The latest case involves two families where four people lost their lives on Sunday in Bobasi constituency.
Home in Bobasi constituency, Kisii County where four people were killed and houses torched over a land dispute.
The killings were a culmination of a longstanding dispute within the family where the eldest brother is alleged to have grabbed the entire family land and kept it to himself leaving other members homeless.
In another incident, a 74-year-old woman was reportedly hacked to death by her son following a suspected land dispute in Kitutu Chache.
Ms Jane Kemunto was killed in Bomeroka village, Kitutu Chache South Constituency.
Her suspected killer, aged 34, was arrested and taken to Nyatieko police station in Kisii county.
Another incident involves two brothers who were accused of killing their 60-year-old father in Sameta. They went into hiding soon after committing the heinous act.
Numerous cases of land disputes have flooded Kisii Environment and Land court where close family members are locked in fierce land battles.
A former journalist whose land was stolen by a known land grabber in Kisii said police and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system must step up and hold the culprits into account as a first step to addressing land problems in Kisii.
Mr Peter Makori, who lives in the USA, stated that to end the impunity on land matters in Kisii, all the key actors in the criminal justice system and the local administration must work in unison to tame the criminals.
"People with an insatiable lust for more land are responsible for fueling the hostility and lawlessness in Kisii over land matters. If the local leaders wanted to end the menace, these issues would be a thing of the past," said Mr Makori.
