Ecology and Its Influences on Land Use and Ownership in Pre-colonial Mwea

Abstract

For decades, land use and ownership has remained an emotive issue in the modern history of Kenya and more so in frontier areas like Mwea, whose land use and ownership contests date back to the pre-colonial period. The sensitivity of this topic has created interest among scholars of different disciplines who avail information, particularly on the current causes of land-related conflict in Kenya. However, these studies tend to overlook the key role of ecology and geographical features in influencing land use and ownership among African communities. The ecological uniqueness of Mwea was a key factor that not only influenced land use and ownership in the Plain but also land-related conflicts before the advent of British colonizers. In terms of geographical location, Mwea Plain stood attractive to diverse communities and its neighbourhoods. Surrounded by marginal lands, safe for the northern side, the plain with its unique environment of open grassland in some areas, and bushes in others, in addition to the many rivers and streams that watered most parts of the plain, served to attract many communities whose interest was not only to utilize the ecology but to put claim to the land with such a wonderful ecology. Therefore, this paper examines ecology's role in land use and ownership in Mwea in the pre-colonial era.