TITLE:
Historical Evolution of Access Regulations on Grasslands and Their Socio-Economic Impacts in Kenya: A Review
AUTHORS:
Lucy Chepkochei, Faith Karanja, David Siriba
KEYWORDS:
Land Governance, Land Rights, Communal Lands, Conservation, Access Regulations
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Historical Studies,
Vol.13 No.4,
November
20,
2024
ABSTRACT: Kenya’s laws and regulations have been transformed to address grazing land access since the pre-colonial period. The laws and regulations have been established throughout history to enhance administration, access, and utilization. Pastoral communities in Kenya have been governed by various laws and regulations relating to land use and access. Despite establishing multiple laws and regulations for grazing land management, there is limited literature on the socio-economic impacts. Therefore, this study reviews the existing literature on grazing land laws and regulations and their socio-economic impacts on Kenya. The study was implemented using a thematic review. During the pre-colonial period, there were no formal grassland management laws. However, the Government of Kenya has enhanced various laws to govern grassland access and utilization in Kenya since 1902. These laws, regulations and policies include Crown Lands Ordinance of 1902, National Land Policy of 2009, Land Act of 2012 and Community Land Act of 2016. Implementing grazing land laws, regulations and policies has led to marginalization of pastoral communities, tribal conflicts and sustainable land management. The study suggests an evaluation of the implementation of the Community Land Act of 2016 in terms of economic and environmental effects among pastoral communities in Kenya.