President William Ruto has officially allocated 6,000 acres of the contested Kedong Ranch land to the Maasai community in Narok County, marking the end of a longstanding land dispute that has fueled protests and legal battles for years.
Speaking in Suswa on the first day of his two-day development tour of the Maa region, President Ruto affirmed the resolution of the dispute, saying the government is committed to ensuring historical land injustices are addressed. The allocated land is part of a vast stretch that hosts key regional infrastructure, including the Naivasha Inland Dry Port.
In a move aimed at boosting environmental conservation, the President also announced that the management of the Mau Forest will now be overseen by the Narok County Government. The forest, a critical water catchment area, has been at the center of encroachment and conservation controversies.
To safeguard it, the government has set aside funds to construct a 100-kilometre perimeter fence in the first phase of a broader conservation plan.”The time has come to protect our forests and resolve land disputes that have held back progress in our counties. This is a new chapter for the Maasai people and for Narok County,” President Ruto stated.
While addressing locals, the Head of State also took a swipe at opposition leaders, accusing them of lacking a clear development agenda for the country.
During the tour, President Ruto launched several key development projects, including the Suswa and Ntulele markets and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Narok Campus.
He also inspected the proposed site for the construction of an international airport in Narok, signaling the government’s intention to boost regional connectivity and tourism.
The president’s visit to Narok follows a similar developmental tour in Migori County as part of his broader strategy to strengthen grassroots support and enhance service delivery across devolved units.
