By Betty Luke
A section of the Somali community has presented a historical land injustice complaint to the National Land Commission (NLC) as the submission window closed on September 21, 2021.
Isack and Harti clan want 1068 square miles of leasehold land in Isiolo reverted back to them maintaining that they were the original inhabitants of the properties.
The clan’s Land Management Committee Chairperson Said Ali Salad said the community has since the colonial period, when they were dispossessed of their ancestral land, suffered a lot and faced discrimination.
“Our community has suffered and continues to suffer due to the historical land injustices and we want the land in leasehold area reverted back to us,” said Mr Salad.
Addressing journalists at the Isiolo Lands office, the group noted that part of their land was allocated to game reserves leaving chunks of land which should be given back to them.
His sentiments were echoed by the Vice-Chairperson Mr Jamal Abdi who said the community had suffered as a result of the injustice to an extent of seeking refuge in other parts of the country.
“Several of us live outside Isiolo not because we want that but because we have nowhere to go,” said Mr Abdi.
Isiolo County NLC coordinator Mr Paul Kasimbu said the commission will ensure justice is served.
“We have received their claims and we look forward to due diligence,” said Mr Kasimbu.
The NLC office had by midday received a total of eight complaints from across the county submitted in the last one month.
