On December 12 1963, in the wake of a bloody liberation war, Kenya cast off the shackles of colonialism and won its independence from Britain. This was a war — like many in Africa — that was “not about having a black president or flag”, says Kenyan land economist James Wanjohi. “It was about land.” Just over 56 years later, land injustice remains an issue in the East African country. Now agricultural multinationals have found themselves at the centre of the storm, as local authorities dispute their tenure and communities call for the return of land and compensation for dispossession. But while many Kenyans hoped for restitution at independence, little was done to benefit those who’d been dispossessed. Instead, postcolonial leaders in many instances benefited from land restitution deals at the expense of the very people they had fought to liberate, as detailed in the 2013 report of the Truth, Justice & Reconciliation Commission of Kenya.
SOURCE: BUSINESS DAY LIVE
