Residents of Transmara East, Narok County, have issued a stern warning to President William Ruto, demanding an end to government-backed land surveys in the contested Angata Barakoi region, threatening conflict if their demands are ignored.
The ultimatum, voiced during a community gathering on June 19, 2025, and amplified by people on social media, follows deadly clashes in April 2025 that left six dead over a 6,800-acre land dispute in the Moyoi Adjudication Section.
Locals, primarily from the Kipsigis community, accuse the government of facilitating land grabbing, vowing “no more surveys” to protect their ancestral land.
The tension stems from a long-standing dispute over the Kairoro land, also known as Kailolong, registered under the Angata Barakoi Farmers’ Cooperative Society since 1996 but leased informally to Kipsigis and Kuria communities.
On April 28, 2025, protests against a demarcation exercise led by Ministry of Lands officials and General Service Unit (GSU) officers turned violent, resulting in five civilian deaths and injuries, including two police officers.
Residents allege the survey was an attempt to displace them, with some, like Bismark Cheruiyot, claiming a proposed sugar factory threatens their land rights.
Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, who also covered funeral and medical expenses for victims, called for dialogue, but distrust persists.
Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli revealed a prior agreement to allocate 1,500 acres each to the Maasai and Kipsigis, disrupted by what he called a “breach of trust”.
Locals, including John Kirui, criticised former Deputy County Commissioner Abdihakim Jubat for ignoring community concerns, leading to his transfer alongside other officials after the April incident.
The renewed protests, sparked by fears of fresh surveys, have drawn condemnation from leaders like Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina, who insists, “No one can take your land.”
Human rights groups have decried police brutality, with Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya accusing officials of issuing “shoot-to-kill” orders.
As residents brace for potential escalation, they demand justice and a halt to government interference, warning of war if their land rights are violated.
Residents in Transmara East, Narok county have told the president to stop meddling with their land or else there's a war that they are fueling. pic.twitter.com/MQz0S01qCt
— 𝗩𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 (@vinguard254) June 19, 2025