| Irrigation schemes | | | | Attempts to develop rural water supplies by the |
| Kenya has got about eighteen major irrigation | | | | government illustrate conflicts which can arise |
| schemes covering a total area of more than 200,000 | | | | between rural land owners due to the land tenure |
| hectares with a very large water demand, especially | | | | systems. A typical example is the land tenure system |
| in arid and semi arid areas (Torori 1995). To supply all | | | | in Kisii. Kisii is a densely populated district. Land tenure |
| these, water is got from the upper catchment areas | | | | in Kisii is predominantly private ownership with little |
| which utilizes a greater portion of the available river | | | | public land (Torori et al,1995). in the recent time land |
| flow. A good example of this case is the Mwea | | | | owners in Kisii have been concerned that when public |
| Tebere irrigation scheme whose chief water sources | | | | water pumps or pipes are sited near or across their |
| are the Thiba and Nyamidi Rivers. | | | | land holdings that the government may acquire their |
| Another factor leading to conflicts is that irrigation | | | | land claiming a public interest. Agreements reached |
| especially those in the ASAL regions which are usually | | | | over piping subsequently are abrogated by sons or |
| located in areas with the best access to water. Here | | | | other relatives of land owners creating an |
| soils are more fertile hence displacing all the other | | | | intergenerational conflict. Property owners also fears |
| forms of land use. Also as highlighted by Torori, | | | | that allowing construction of public facilities like hand |
| (1995) the costs of developing irrigation schemes | | | | pumps on private land will encourage encroachment |
| both directly in terms of financial outlays and | | | | on their property by outsiders seeking to use these |
| indirectly interms of social disruption and displacement | | | | facilities |
| of people have been high and apart from resulting | | | | Wildlife and tourism |
| into conflicts, it has led to the total failure of the | | | | Wildlife and tourism are important economic land uses |
| projects. | | | | in Kenya. About 95% of land area of the KWS |
| Regulations concerning use of river banks | | | | protected areas system is in the ASAL zones where |
| This mostly affects the people in rural areas. Gleick | | | | wildlife exert considerable demand on water |
| et al (2004) points that the law provides for a two | | | | resources. To reduce the loss of wildlife during |
| metre buffer along the river and streams banks to | | | | droughts boreholes and shallow wells have been built |
| protect the water cause from erosion and pollution. | | | | in protected areas. Livestock farmers around these |
| However, riparian land owners or land users | | | | areas also need water for consumption and for their |
| frequently cultivates right upto the river edge. Land | | | | livelihood in addition to their livestock. If the provision |
| shortages, uneven or general lack of enforcement | | | | of waters to livestock and wildlife in these areas is |
| and lack of understanding on the part of the farmers | | | | not done with good understanding of the social and |
| as to the purpose of the restriction contributes to | | | | ecological dynamics of the production system, |
| conflicts between government agencies and the | | | | conflicts accompanied by devegetation around water |
| people wherever enforcement is attempted (Gleick | | | | points over population of animals and alteration of |
| et al,2004) | | | | migration and herding routes are likely to intensify the |
| Prevailing land tenure systems | | | | conflicts. |