Forest Service and Baringo residents' dispute pushes students to learn under trees

The dispute centers on the gazettement of Mukutani Forest, with KFS insisting that the current school sits inside protected forest land while parents and residents resist relocation plans.

Baringo County Forest Conservator Ann Nyaoke has maintained that Loramoru Primary School lies within a protected forest area and therefore cannot be reconstructed at its current site. 

She explained that, through the Director of Education, the government has already secured an alternative parcel of land outside the forest boundary. 

According to Nyaoke, construction of a new school facility is expected to begin immediately to ensure learners have access to a safe and legal learning environment.

However, the community of Loramoru has strongly opposed the KFS position. Parents say they are unwilling to move their children to the proposed site, arguing that it is approximately 10 kilometres away from their homes. 

They insist that such a distance is too far for young learners to walk daily, warning that relocation could expose children to danger and potentially push many out of school.

Loramoru Primary School headteacher Joseph Kiprop echoed the concerns, stating that the distance to the new site would place a heavy burden on pupils who already face numerous challenges. 

He warned that forcing learners to trek long distances could discourage school attendance and negatively affect academic performance, dealing a severe blow to children who are already striving to rebuild their education after years of disruption.

Anger among parents and community members has continued to grow. Many have vowed that if the school is relocated, they will refuse to send their children to the new facility. 

Instead, they insist that pupils will continue learning under trees within the community until authorities address their concerns. 

School chairman Moses Cheliteba supported the parents’ stand, saying the community is united in its demand for a closer and more accessible school.

Tensions reached a boiling point on February 2 when confrontations erupted between residents and authorities. 

Police officers fired shots into the air to disperse groups of residents who were hurling stones at a convoy of trucks transporting building materials to the disputed site. The situation worsened when KFS vehicles blocked the route, preventing the trucks from accessing the area and escalating the standoff.

The incident triggered anxiety among Mukutani residents, many of whom still carry painful memories of past ethnic conflicts that led to displacement and loss of life. 

Community members expressed fear that the ongoing confrontation could reopen old wounds in a region that has only recently begun to experience relative peace and stability.

Loramoru Primary School has a long and troubled history. The institution remained closed for more than 13 years after residents fled due to insecurity in the area. 

In 2016, the land was officially gazetted as forest, further complicating future development. Following the gradual restoration of peace, families began returning to rebuild their homes and livelihoods, leading to the reopening of the school in 2024. 

However, the renewed dispute now threatens to disrupt the fragile progress made by the community and the education of its children.

As the standoff continues, pupils remain caught in the middle—learning under trees, facing uncertainty about their future, and hoping for a lasting solution that balances environmental protection with the urgent need for accessible education.