President William Ruto has ordered the government to purchase 1,500 acres of land in Angata-Barikoi to settle families displaced by a decades-long conflict over land ownership in Narok County.
Speaking during the burial of the late Johana Ng’eno in Emurua Dikirr on Friday, the president also announced plans to compensate and resettle 12,000 squatters currently living in temporary shelters in the Mau Forest.
Ruto said the government will allocate funds to ensure the displaced families find permanent homes later this year, noting that the resettlement programme is expected to begin between August and September.
The president explained that leaders from the region had previously presented him with a list of the affected families who urgently require government support after years of displacement and uncertainty.
He noted that resolving the land conflict was among the key issues Ng’eno had pushed for before his death, describing the late legislator as a leader committed to addressing the struggles of local communities.
Angata-Barikoi in Transmara South, Narok County, has witnessed persistent disputes over a large parcel of land estimated to cover between 6,000 and 6,300 acres.
The conflict mainly involves overlapping adjudication claims between the Angata section, largely occupied by the Kipsigis community, and the Moyoi section claimed by members of the Siria Maasai community.
The dispute has occasionally turned violent, with deadly clashes, displacement of families and destruction of property reported over the years as communities contested ownership of the land.
Maasai leaders have consistently argued that the land historically belongs to them, citing court decisions ordering Kipsigis residents to vacate, while the Kipsigis community maintains that they hold legitimate title deeds.
The conflict has also been complicated by allegations that influential individuals attempted to acquire parts of the land for commercial ventures, including plans to establish sugar factories in the area.
According to the government, a 2025 consent agreement introduced an out-of-court settlement that divided the land among communities and government institutions to reduce tensions.
Under the arrangement, about 4,500 acres were allocated to the Maasai community, 1,500 acres to the Kipsigis community and 500 acres reserved for government and security facilities.
Ruto also revealed that the government is negotiating to resolve another long-running dispute involving the 5,800-acre Cheluget Farm in Sogoo, Narok County.
The land belonged to former provincial administrator Isaiah Kiplagat Cheluget, who served as a Provincial Commissioner during the administration of Jomo Kenyatta.
The president said the government intends to buy part of the land from the Cheluget family to protect residents who have settled there from the risk of eviction.