Daniel Odhiambo was due to appear in court over a long-running land dispute with his neighbour.
Daniel Odhiambo was due to appear in court over a long-running land dispute with his neighbour.
But that was not to be as the Maseno University staff member was allegedly hacked to death with a machete on Saturday evening by the neighbour with whom he had been embroiled in the dispute.
Mr Odhiambo worked in the audit department at the institution of higher learning.
His father, Micheal Dondi, said Odhiambo was killed as his granddaughter watched in horror.
“The court proceedings in the land case had been scheduled to resume in September,” he noted.
According to Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem, the suspect accused Mr Odhiambo of grabbing his land.
According to Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem, the suspect accused Mr Odhiambo of grabbing his land.
“He had been trying by all means to reclaim the land before he ultimately resorted to killing the university employee,” Mr Koilem said.
The dispute is said to have escalated recently after the suspect allegedly took his cattle to graze on the contested parcel of land. When Mr Odhiambo confronted him, the suspect reportedly threatened to harm him.
Mr Dondi said his son chose not to retaliate but instead pursued justice through the courts.
“There was a time when he cut down all the trees on the land and took them to his home,” he said.
The feud appears to have intensified over time, with tensions simmering as both parties awaited the court’s determination on ownership of the disputed land.
Mr Odhiambo was reportedly standing at the gate of his home on Saturday evening when the neighbour approached him.
“I was alerted by the screams of his daughter. By the time I arrived, he was already dead,” Mr Dondi recalled.
Rising cases
He appealed to the government to ensure justice is served for the family.
Mr Koilem said the suspect was arrested on Sunday and is awaiting arraignment.
The killing is the latest in a series of fatal incidents linked to land disputes in the region.
In February, a couple in Rangwe was killed by one of their neighbours, who accused them of grabbing his land.
In October last year, a Technical University of Kenya lecturer, identified as Prof Thomas Onyango, was killed over a boundary dispute on Rusinga Island.
Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Lands in Homa Bay have stepped up efforts to address the growing number of land disputes through public barazas.
Over the past two months, they have been holding meetings with residents to educate them on the importance of securing land ownership documents.
The land clinics, organised by Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi, are intended to dispel the perception that acquiring a title deed is an unnecessarily complicated process.
The initiative also seeks to encourage residents to apply for title deeds and reduce the number of land-related disputes that continue to plague the county.
Mr Mwiwawi said misinformation about land administration has led many people to occupy parcels without title deeds, leaving them vulnerable to conflict. “Many people believe acquiring a title deed is a lengthy process and would rather live without this vital document. But that only fuels land disputes.”
During the land clinics, residents are educated on the benefits of land ownership documents and the lawful mechanisms available for resolving disputes.
Speaking during a meeting with residents of Rachuonyo West in Pala, Mr Mwiwawi urged the public to avoid using brokers in land transactions so as to prevent property fraud by conmen who prey on unsuspecting Kenyans.
Despite progress made through the initiative, widows remain among the most vulnerable victims of land fraud. Some lose their property after relatives deny them their rightful claim to ownership.
Mr Mwiwawi said his office stands ready to assist widows whose land rights are being violated.
Mr Koilem noted that most of the assault cases currently being handled by his office are related to land disputes.
He said disagreements over land boundaries often degenerate into violent confrontations, underscoring the urgent need for peaceful and lawful resolution of such conflicts.
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