Wilson Omalenge Ndenyele, Dr.Godffrey Nyongesa Nato, Dr.Prof. Halimu Shauri, Prof. Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle

Abstract

The implications of land policies on large scale land acquisitions remains a concern at global scale. A number of studies have shown that in general land policies implications on large scale investment process vary, but the understanding how they influence conflict dynamics remains fragmented and controversial in terms of the cases and context. Drawing on empirical case study from the Tana River County of Kenya, this paper argues that government land policies play critical role in mediating between the conflicting interests between the large scale investment projects investor and the communities’ in that host these projects. This paper shows that there is tension between local communities and investors investment companies over the compensation to cover for the permanent loss of their land and livelihoods rights by the local community and the sharing of benefits derived from these ventures. These tensions have been spring board for conflict dynamics in land-scale land investment projects in the context of the study. Options for establishing alternative land policies arrangements to mitigate conflict dynamics in land large scale investment projects are explored. By unravelling how the land policies application contributes to conflict dynamics in land investment project in the study area, this article offers a nuanced perspective to the growing knowledge on land deals in Kenya and beyond.

Key words: Large-scale land acquisitions, land policies, conflict dynamics, Tana River, Kenya