Lawyers protest intimidation, witness compromise in Maasai Mara land case

The appeal of the controversial Olkiombo land dispute in Narok has collapsed following the withdrawal of nine key appellants.

Lawyers in the case claimed on Wednesday that the move was driven by intimidation, coercion, and compromise.

Addressing the media in Narok town, Parseen Masikonde, Chairperson of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Narok Chapter, and lead counsel in the case, condemned the withdrawals, stating they were the result of calculated pressure and manipulation.

“These withdrawals were not voluntary. The appellants were compromised, intimidated, and coerced into backing down,” claimed Masikonde.

“This is a direct assault on public interest litigation and justice for the people of Narok.”

The appeal arose from a contested ruling delivered on March 6, 2025, by Justice Charles Mbogo, affecting land rights in Olkiombo and impacting both residents and tourism operators in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

Masikonde filed the public interest appeal on March 21, 2025.

He represented six individuals linked to Mara Explorer Camp, Mara Intrepids Camp, and Lorian Camp, all within the 4,726 acres of Olkiombo land inside the Maasai Mara.

However, by April 7, 2025, signs of trouble emerged as James Somoine Tira, Keswe Sairowua, and Charles Njonjo Loigero filed notices of change of advocate and began withdrawing.

On June 24, lead appellants Tipapa Sayialel and Nteri Rakwa also withdrew from the appeal, effectively collapsing the case.

Lawyer Stanley Ole Dikirr expressed deep frustration over the turn of events and condemned the tactics used to undermine the case.

“We spent months preparing this case. We listened to the community’s fears and hopes,” said Ole Dikirr.

“To watch the very people entrusted with this mandate walk away under pressure was devastating.”

Dikirr noted that he and his colleagues had to work hard under difficult conditions, only to see the case unravel rapidly following the withdrawals.

“It felt like a betrayal — not just of us as lawyers, but of an entire community that was depending on a legal system to protect their ancestral land,” Dikirr added.

He described the pressure on the appellants as systematic and targeted, detailing incidents of phone calls, threats, and backdoor negotiations that isolated them.

“These weren't just legal maneuvers. There was a coordinated effort to undermine this appeal from within,” he stated. “We knew the stakes were high, but we didn’t anticipate this level of interference.”

Both Masikonde and Dikirr criticized the Narok County Government, which had filed a separate appeal, for actively excluding the community's voice.

“Instead of supporting us, the county government worked against us,” Masikonde said.

“They aligned themselves with interests that don’t represent the people.”

On July 16, the Court of Appeal allowed Johnstone Kunini, the 1st respondent, to begin collecting levies, taxes, and fees from the disputed land — a ruling that occurred after the legal team was disbanded and Masikonde was no longer present in court.

“That court order was a blow,” said Dikirr. “It legitimized what we believe is an illegitimate process, all because the community’s legal voice was pushed out.”

Now, all eyes are on the remaining case — Civil Appeal by the ResoluteRise Community Based Organization — seen as the last hope for the Maasai community whose land rightfully belongs to them.

“This appeal must not be compromised like the rest,” Masikonde urged. “ResoluteRise is carrying the final torch of justice.”

He also clarified that criminal allegations made earlier against former MCAs Ketuyio and Rakwa, regarding Mara Ward and Sinana Ward respectively, allegedly initiated by Mulot Police Station officers, were dismissed due to lack of evidence and never reached court.

“If this trend continues — where public litigation is hijacked by threats and inducements — then ordinary Kenyans will have no access to justice. We must fight back, or we risk losing not just this land, but the very soul of our legal system,” added Dikirr.

As legal avenues narrow, the Narok community now pins its hopes on the NGO-led appeal — the final legal stand in a land dispute that continues to stir public outcry across the county.