Corruption in the Land Question and Protracted Conflict in Bungoma County, Kenya 1992-2019
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Date
2021
Authors
Simotwo, Cherotwei Geoffrey
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study investigated corruption in the land appropriation and protracted conflict in
Bungoma County, Kenya 1992-2019. Corruption is defined as bribery, land grabbing and
privatization of public land and that is rife in the Kenya’s land sector. In Bungoma County,
corruption and political meddling of the land allocation process in the Chepyuk Settlement
Scheme has created a perennial crisis and protracted land-based conflict fueled by
galvanized intra-ethnic differentiation stemming from historical land injustice. The main
objective of this study was to interrogate the relationship between corruption and protracted
land-based conflict in Mount Elgon Constituency, Bungoma County. The study sought to
provide answers on how corruption influences the process of land allocation, resulting into
conflict and watering down peacebuilding initiatives meant to resolve the protracted landbased
conflict in Mount Elgon Constituency. The study was anchored on a combination of
greed versus grievance theoretical framework together with the theory of ethnic
mobilization. The greed and grievance theory defines the problem of land grabbing as selfenrichment
while ethnic mobilization theory explained the process by which political elites
galvanized intra-ethnic differentiation leading to conflict between the Soy and Mosop clans.
The study used a case study design and descriptive survey to describe the characteristics and
dynamics of corruption and its relation to land allocation and mobilization of members of
the community into armed violence. The target population included residents of Mount
Elgon constituency, politicians, members of the National Government Administrative
Officers (NGAO), County government officials and the civil society. The sample of one
hundred and thirty-seven respondents and twenty-four key informants was drawn from all
the six wards of Mount Elgon constituency and adjacent parts of Sirisia and Kabuchai
Constituencies who share the burden of the land conflict. Primary data was obtained from
these non-partisan and gender sensitive sample. The study used both Qualitative and
Quantitative Techniques. Methods of data collection included, questionnaires, Focus Group
Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII). A combination of both primary and
secondary sources of data were used. Collected data was interrogated and analyzed using
both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Quantitative data was presented using simple
descriptive statistics in the form of bar graphs, tables and pie charts, while qualitative data
was analyzed thematically and by use of content analysis along themes that correspond the
specific objective of the study. The study found out that politics and endemic corruption that
borders on nepotism, sycophancy in the defunct provincial administration and in national
government was a major hindrance to fair and transparent land allocation in the region.
Moreover, corruption and land conflict in Bungoma County was significant and is the main
cause of the simmering and unresolved ethnic tensions in the region. Further, it was found
that women especially the widows and those with low income and who by all criterion
deserved land allocation were disadvantaged in the distribution of the land. Further, a policy
on how to handle land question particularly land hived from gazetted government forest
needs to be re-evaluated. Besides, the land question should not be weaponized for political
purposes especially during electioneering period. The study recommends that an
independent audit be undertaken on the deserving and true ownership of the land to allow
settlement of the rightful beneficiaries.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science in Security Strategic Studies in the School of Security, Diplomacy and Peace Studies of Kenyatta University, November, 2021
Keywords
Corruption, Land Question, Protracted Conflict, Bungoma County, Kenya, 1992-2019