The Kenya Land Commission and the Mwea Land Question, 1932 – 1934

Several years after independence land related conflicts still hovers in Mwea area. Despite the creation of a National Land Commission to handle land issues by Kenya’s 2010 constitution, the issue of land use and ownership remains a major cause of conflict between communities notably the Agikyu, Aembu,Mbeere and Akamba. The roots of these conflicts dates back to colonial times. After alienating African land, the colonial state embarked on creating reserves to accommodate African communities. However, the so called African reserves were haphazardly established without consideration to such factors like fertility and future rise in population. Consequently, by 1920s the reserves were overcrowded, terribly denuded and could hardly support African productive capacities resulting to agitation for more land by African ethnicities. Surprisingly, up to 1930, the government of the day did little if any to redress land problems afflicting African population. In 1932, however, the colonial administration constituted the Kenya Land Commission (hereinafter KLC) to look into the land question and suggest a lasting solution to land grievances in the colony. The recommendations of KLC impacted heavily on land use and ownership in Kenya.