Land grabbing is the main reason behind unending border disputes between Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties, Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has said.
Appearing before the Senate Cohesion Committee, Kindiki said the fraudulent acquisition of land, public and private, has been the cause of violent confrontations in the area.
"The location of the beacons has not been the cause. People in the two counties do not put boundary points and coordinates at the front," he told the committee.
Kindiki added that over many years, corrupt land officials have issued titles to people who are not the rightful owners.
He added that politicians from the two counties have also been fueling the clashes.
"Some politicians in the area are not innovative enough while looking for votes as they incite people when asking for their support," he said.
He said the most affected subcounties include Imenti South, Imenti Central, Imenti North, Tigania Central and Igembe South which are in Meru county and Tharaka South in Tharaka Nithi county.
Kindiki said the main hotspots are Kwang'ombe village in Mwiyani Location in the Nkondi Division and the Karocho-Turima location in Turima Division.
Kindiki further said other factors exacerbating conflict are administrative units boundary disputes, outstanding land adjudication processes, political interference and non-resettlement of squatters.
Kindiki, who was the Senator for Tharaka Nithi in the last administration, announced that the government has placed various measures to address the problem.
He said officers have been holding security and peace meetings along the border to promote cohesion among residents.
"Several police posts have been opened along the border. They include Mugui police post, Miomponi police post and Ruungu police post," he stated.
He added that schools have been constructed along the borders to promote peaceful coexistence among communities.
Kindiki's meeting with senators comes hot on the heels of an appeal by Meru leaders to President William Ruto to implement the Zachary Ogongo report to resolve the dispute.
Over the years, residents in the two counties have engaged in clashes that have resulted in deaths, injuries and destruction of property.
At the heart of the dispute is delayed adjudication and issuance of land title deeds.
When Ruto attended a title deed issuance exercise at Tutua in Meru in August, Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima appealed for the implementation of the Ogongo report.
