Alienation of Abashitaho’s Land Rights, 1920-1963
Loading...
Date
2018-12
Authors
Wasike, Elijah
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study interrogates the effect of European colonialism on traditional land ownership,
access and use. The exposure of European capitalism on traditional land ownership,
access and use abolished the land rights of Abashitaho between 1920 and 1963. The precolonial
land ownership, accessibility and user rights had made the community stable and
peaceful. It also investigated European colonial land policies and its pitfalls on the
community leading to legacy of land right question after independence of 1963.This
study is necessary because a lot of studies by scholars have focused on large general
areas and communities to the exclusion of minority but important communities in the
locality. While those studies were important, there is need to explore issues in such
isolated localities which dominated outcomes that impacted on large communities during
colonial period. The study narrowed down the unit of focus to that of Abashitaho land
rights to help provide a more detailed account. The overall objective of the study was to
demonstrate factors that have undermined land rights among Abashitaho despite Kenya
having attained independence. The study employed a descriptive research design and
applied the purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The study focused on
Abashitaho knowledgeable elders and any other persons within Kakamega County to
obtain information. A total of 40 respondents were sampled for oral interviews, focus
group discussions and some filled questionnaires. Analysis of library and archival sources
was also used to obtain information. The study used a systems approach and dependency
and underdevelopment theories to interrogate traditional system of land rights and
capitalist system as they clashed to analyze the outcomes of problems of land rights
within an African community. These theories helped provide an avenue for understanding
reasons why land rights and the land question was still a major problem in independent
Kenya in 1963. The study was premised on argument that colonialism introduced
changes in land ownership accessibility and use that removed the community‟s base of
wealth accumulation. Colonialism also brought in new methods of land ownership with
title which ignored traditional rights to access and use land which weakened African
modes of production and created class differences in society .The study revealed that due
to differences in ownership, accessibility and use of land some people grew richer as
others became progressively poor due to policies institutionalized. The study therefore
exposed the challenge of land question that endures and undermines wealth accumulation
and stability of society at independence.
Description
This Thesis Is Submitted To The School Of Humanities And Social Sciences In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirement For The Award Of Degree Of Master of Arts Of Kenyatta University. December, 2018