INFLUENCE OF INDIGENOUS CONFLICT RESOLUTION MECHANISM ON LAND USE MANAGEMENT INPOKOT CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KENYA LOMUK MUSTO JOHN B.A Political Science and Public Administration (Kisii University) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PEACE STUDIES, KISII UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER, 2018 DECLARATION STUDENT’S DECLARATION This research thesis is my original work and has not been presented for award of any degree in any other University. Signature: …………………………. Date: …………………………. LomukMusto John REG: MAS15/60047/14 SUPERVISOR(S) DECLARATION This research thesis has been submitted with my approval as the university supervisor. Prof. Edmond Were Department of Political Science and Peace Studies Kisii University Signature: ………………………… Date: …………………………………….. Dr.Daniel RotichKandagor Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Kisii University Signature: ................................................... date ……………………………… ii PLAGIARISM DECLARATION DECLARATION BY STUDENT I. I declare I have read and understood Kisii University rules and regulations, and other documents concerning academic dishonesty. II. I do understand that ignorance of these rules and regulations is not an excuse for a violation of the said rules. III. If I have any question or doubts, I realize that it is my responsibility to keep seeking an answer until I understand. IV. I understand I must do my own work. V. I also understand that if I commit any act of academic dishonesty like plagiarism, my thesis/project can be assigned a fail grade (“F”). VI. I further understand I may be suspended or expelled from the University for Academic Dishonesty. ____________________________ ______________________ LomukMusto John Date MAS15/60047/14 DECLARATION BY SUPERVISOR (S) I. I/We declare that this thesis has been submitted to plagiarism detection service. II. The thesis contains less than 20% of plagiarized work. III. I/We hereby give consent for marking. ____________________________ ____________________ Prof. E.M Were, PhD Date Department of Political Science and Peace Studies, Kisii University ____________________________ _____________________ Dr. Daniel RotichKandagor, PhD Date Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Kisii University iii DECLARATION OF NUMBER OF WORDS Name: LomukMusto John MAS15/60047/14 Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences Department: Political Science and Peace Studies Thesis Title: .......................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................................... I confirm that the word length of: 1) The thesis including footnotes, is……………2) the bibliography is………………. and, if applicable, 3) the appendices are……………………………………………… I also declare the electronic version is identical to the final hard bound copy of the thesis and corresponds with those on which the examiners based their recommendations for the award of the degree. Signed……………………………………………………Date……………………… I confirm that the thesis submitted by the above-named candidate complies with the relevant word length specified in the School of Postgraduate Studies and Commission of University Education regulations for the Masters Degrees. Signed…………………Email………………………..Tel………………Date….……… Prof. E.M Were, PhD Signed…………………Email…………………...…Tel…….……………Date………… Dr. Daniel RotichKandagor, PhD iv COPYRIGHT PAGE All rights reserved. No part of this thesis or information herein may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author or Kisii University on that behalf. ©2018 LomukMusto John v DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my wife Pamela Chelimo, my sons Ian Rotich and Brian Kalya, my late father NgoriakonyinYarakou may His soul rest in eternal peace, my mother Ko- Kiptoo, brothers and sisters Moses, Jackson, Mary, Stella and Rita, Sisters-in-laws Flora, Ann and my friend Wilson Simotwa vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I thank the Almighty God for giving me the blessings of good health, patience and strength during the entire research period preparing this document. In addition; I would like to thank my supervisors for their invaluable guidance, time and mentorship support for giving me the opportunity to undertake this study. I also thank my classmates for the material and immaterial support. vii ABSTRACT This study intended to assess the influence of indigenous conflict resolution mechanism on land use management in Pokot Central Sub-County. The area has faced numerous challenges in managing land use. The use of indigenous means to resolve conflict is not fully recognised by government and the people, the effectiveness of the mechanism is wanting and marginalised. The following objectives guided the study: to establish the role of indigenous conflict resolution mechanism actors on land use management; to establish the implementation of indigenous conflict resolution management process on land use management and to find the challenges of the implementation of the indigenous conflict resolution mechanism on land use management in Pokot Central Sub-County. The study is expected to benefit government agencies dealing with land use management by giving the alternative measures to solving conflict. The study employed descriptive research design. The study covering population of 781wererepresented by 537 respondents selected from the following target population: officers of national government administration; council of elders; households’ heads, land officers and disputants. Morton Deutsch “cooperative model” guided this study and conceptualizes indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms as independent variable and land use management as dependent variable. The study suggested indigenous conflict resolution mechanism as a tool of trying to solve the existing problem of land use disputes. This study also ensured that the data obtained wasactually reliable and valid. Questionnaires and interviews schedules as research instruments were of a great help in ensuring that the required information was collected. The study found out that the ICRM actors play great roles in land use management, the procedure of solving land use disputes starts from family and ends at oath taking, among the challenges facing ICRM is non-recognition by government and locals. The study concludes that ICRM can be the best mechanism in dealing with land matters and recommend that the government needs to formulate clear policy guiding ICRM operations. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ ii PLAGIARISM DECLARATION...................................................................................... iii DECLARATION OF NUMBER OF WORDS ................................................................. iv COPYRIGHT PAGE ........................................................................................................... v DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................ vii ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ xii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................................. xiv LIST OF ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 6 1.3. Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.5. Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 8 1.6. Assumptions of the Study ............................................................................................. 8 1.7