Perceptions of Land and Conflicts: The Case of Nairobi

Perceptions towards land are as diverse as communities and are shaped by a myriad of factors. Thus in ancient Rome and Australia land was viewed as part of a people, and in some places ancestors were seen as part of both the living and land (Povinelli; 2002). In some communities it was as owning, while in others it may be a person with a soul (De Coppet, 1995). Inspite of the diversity in perceptions of land, there is a consensus that conflicts over land were more intense and continues to be in communities with strong beliefs and perceptions around land. In many communities where there is a difference in perception towards land a conflict always emerges. The story of Nabothís vineyard in the book of Kings clearly illustrates just how influential perceptions towards land are in shaping mansí decisions. Land remains a major source of economic and political power in many countries. This is because it is a source of economic power with profound impact on the psyche of man. In addition, increasing population, failure of the existing institutional and legal frameworks put it in a very special position. As a result the increase in land conflicts in land conflicts exacerbates inequity further weakening the African State. It is also clear that limited studies are taking place, particularly aimed at deepening our understanding of the interaction between land conflicts and inequity. In addition, there is a lack of consensus on appropriate theoretical and methodological tools for explaining the land question. Yet it is evident to all that land ownership, access, and use are acquiring political and ethnic dimensions with potentials for serious political instability across the continent. This paper aims at explaining the relationship between urban land conflicts and inequity. It will further explain how ethnicity interplays with political patronage and corruption within the existing land management systems to perpetuate land conflicts and inequity. It will use several theoretical strands among them institutional analysis to unravel the dynamics.