By Azizah Abdullahi |Wajir Today | Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Wajir County Women Representative Fatuma Jehow has called on the National Land Commission (NLC) to provide details on ownership of land earmarked for the construction of a proposed civilian airport in Wajir, amid growing disputes involving residents, the military and aviation authorities.

Jehow, who also serves as Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Lands, said the project, initially agreed upon following discussions with the President, has faced challenges over the identification and acquisition of suitable land.

She said the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), which operates under the military at the existing Wajir airport, had been instructed to identify land for the civilian airport, but the process had since triggered disputes over ownership claims.

“We had talked to the President to do a civilian airport for Wajir. KAA did not have land, they are hosted by the military. So for them to do a civilian airport, they need land,” Jehow said.

She said the identification process had led to the allocation of land allegedly belonging to individuals, sparking tensions among stakeholders including the county government, the military and local residents.

Jehow said consultations were ongoing with multiple parties, including the county leadership and aviation authorities, to resolve the matter and ensure that any affected landowners are compensated where necessary.

“I need one thing from NLC. We want to know who are these specific people who own title deeds on behalf of these people who own this land,” she said, urging the commission to urgently investigate the matter.

The dispute has triggered protests and repeated stakeholder meetings, according to Jehow, who said she would continue engaging relevant institutions to seek a resolution.