Nandi and Kisumu counties border row escalates

The boundary dispute between Nandi and Kisumu county governments has escalated, with the former noting it is preparing a petition to be presented to the electoral commission.

Nandi is working on a proposal that is laying claim to key towns and sugar factories, thus, extending its administrative boundaries deep into the neighbouring Kisumu.

The county government said it would present the document to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission .

The county said the proposal, which has already raised tension along the border, will solve historical land injustices meted on the community during the colonial period.

Lawyer George Tarus said they expected the boundaries to be redrawn and some of the sugar factories like Chemelil and Muhoroni placed within Nandi County.

COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

“Thousands of hectares of land and four key towns among them Chemelil, Muhoroni, Kibigori and Miwani are in Kisumu County but according to the original boundaries, which the colonial government drew,  these towns belonged to Nandi County,” said Mr Tarus.

He observed that the people of Nandi want to co-exist with those from Kisumu and that once the historical injustices have been addressed, frequent tribal clashes on the border would cease.

Mr Tarus is leading a number of lawyers contracted by the county to look into the matter.

Kisumu County leaders led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o have dismissed demands by Nandi Governor Stephen Sang that the boundary should be reviewed.

BOUNDARY ROWS

Muhoroni MP Onyango K’Oyoo said  Mr Sang should instead be investigated for his intentions to encroach into Kisumu. His Kisumu East counterpart Shakeel Shabbir warned that the move may open a “pandora’s box” on various boundary rows across the country.

Mr K’Oyoo asked Mr Sang to come clean and explain whether the clashes that have been witnessed along the Nandi/Kisumu border were a wider scheme to claim part of Kisumu.

Governor Nyong’o denied claim that he had been served the petition, a matter he termed weighty.

“The top leadership of Kisumu County will give a response should there be service of such a petition. The boundary delimitation exercise by the IEBC is about to commence and we shall be engaging them as per the dictates of the constitution with regard to this exercise,” said Mr Nyong’o.

OPENING DISPUTES

Mr Shabbir said they will treat the matter with disinterest to avoid opening disputes.

“There were so many injustices committed by colonial masters and Nandi should not start opening them up. It will mean that Nakuru and Kisumu be reverted to Uganda,” said Mr Shabbir.

Mr K’Oyoo said the petition was astonishing and that leaders from Kisumu were starting to read malice into the move Mr Sang.