Analysis of Forest and Land Legislations and Resource Use Conflict in the Eastern Mau, Nakuru County, Kenya

Wahome, Paul Thiong’o (2017) Analysis of Forest and Land Legislations and Resource Use Conflict in the Eastern Mau, Nakuru County, Kenya. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Kenya has had a history of conflicts that often turn violent over land and land based resources. Among the most important of these resources are forests. Studies have found that previous land and forest legislations have been aimed at controlling access to the forests and facilitate commercial exploitation. The legislations therefore have had little impact on resolving forest resource based conflicts or even protection of the forests to ensure continued supply of the dwindling resources. There have been a number of reforms in land and forest laws; includes making a new constitution and hence redrafting and passing the laws to bring them in tandem with this constitution. The study carried out to assessing the possible impact of the land and forest legislation on violent conflicts and hence provide a basis for legislation drafters on areas that might need to be changed or things that should be added. So there might be questions whether it is ignorance of the laws that is causing these conflicts. Hence the research also sought to find out the extent of knowledge of forest and land laws among the respondents. The study was done through library and desk research on previous and current land and forest legislation. Also studied were the views of the people affected by these conflicts in regions around Eastern Mau Forest. This used questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. This data was analyzed and interpreted to come with findings that are presented in chapter three. Finally the study came up with recommendations on what reforms may be necessary in the legislation to bring it more in line with the constitution and also to make it more effective at resolving violent conflicts and hopefully also assisting in conservation of forests in Kenya.

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