A simmering land dispute is threatening to explode into full-scale protests in Komolo village, Gombe Sub-location in North Alego, after residents accused brokers and surveyors of colluding with powerful investors to buy off ancestral land surrounding the Siaya airstrip.
The angry residents now say they are preparing demonstrations to the Siaya Lands office, claiming a well-coordinated network of land dealers has descended on the area armed with huge sums of money to lure locals into surrendering family land.
At the centre of the controversy is the anticipated expansion and upgrade of the Siaya airstrip, a development that has sharply raised the value of land in the region and triggered an aggressive rush by investors seeking strategic property near the facility.
Residents allege that brokers working closely with surveyors have been moving from homestead to homestead convincing families to sell land at attractive prices, with some villagers reportedly succumbing to the temptation without fully understanding the long-term consequences.
“We are witnessing the silent takeover of our ancestral land. People are being enticed with money and before they realize it, they will have nowhere to call home,” lamented one resident during a heated village discussion.
The unfolding situation has sparked fear and suspicion across the area, with locals questioning the speed at which land subdivisions and survey activities are taking place around the airport corridor.
Some residents claim outsiders with deep pockets are strategically positioning themselves ahead of the planned airstrip expansion, raising concerns that indigenous families could eventually be pushed out of their own community.
Community elders and youth leaders have now demanded immediate intervention from the Ministry of Lands, Siaya County Government and the National Land Commission to investigate what they describe as suspicious land transactions.
They are also calling for public participation forums and transparency in all dealings involving land near the airport, insisting that residents deserve full information before making irreversible decisions about inherited property.
The standoff has revived painful memories of land disputes that have rocked several parts of the country whenever major infrastructure projects attract speculators and politically connected investors.
Local leaders fear the situation could esc alate if authorities fail to address growing public anger, with residents warning that they are ready to take to the streets to defend what they term as their heritage and birthright.
As pressure mounts, attention is now shifting to county land officials and national authorities to determine whether they can calm tensions before the looming dispute erupts into open confrontation.
