In the Ikolomani Constituency of western Kenya, more than 800 households are currently facing the prospect of losing their homes and farms to create way for industrial gold mining. The land in question, totaling approximately 337 acres of residential and agricultural property in Kakamega County, is targeted for extraction by the British firm Shanta Gold Limited, which seeks to access gold deposits valued at Sh683 billion ($5.29 billion).
The tension over the project reached a breaking point on Dec. 4, 2025, when residents attempted to protest the displacement during a government-led public participation session regarding the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). The encounter ended in violence; police response led to four deaths from gunshot wounds, numerous injuries, and a series of arbitrary arrests.
This clash in Kenya is the catalyst for a broader movement. A coalition of civil society organizations, faith-based actors, and Indigenous groups has launched a campaign to combat extractive industry exploitation and land grabs across the African continent. Under the umbrella of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the initiative seeks to overhaul land policies that depart smallholder farmers vulnerable to corporate interests and state-sanctioned dispossession.
The campaign, titled “Protect Our Land, Restore Our Soil,” was formally introduced during the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20) in Cartagena, Colombia. The movement argues that the commodification of land is not merely an economic issue but a systemic threat to human rights and the stability of global food systems.
A Pattern of State-Sourced Displacement
The events in Kakamega are not isolated. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has identified an escalating pattern within the country’s extractive sector where communities demanding accountability are met with political threats and physical force. In a formal statement, the commission warned that mining zones are increasingly becoming “death traps rather than engines of community development.”
This dynamic is mirrored across the continent, particularly in regions rich in transition minerals. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the push for copper and cobalt—essential for the lithium-ion batteries powering the global shift to electric vehicles—has come at a steep human cost. Amnesty International has documented a cycle of forced evictions and the illegal destruction of homes in mining hubs like Kolwezi.
Appolinaire Zagabe, Director for the DRC Climate Change Network, describes a process where government officials sign contracts with foreign firms to legalize extractive activities, subsequently using state security forces to clear the land without the informed consent of the inhabitants or the provision of fair compensation.
The Human Cost of the Green Energy Transition
The irony of the current crisis is that much of the violence is driven by the global demand for “green” technology. The DRC provides between 70 to 74 percent of the world’s cobalt and copper. While these minerals are vital for reducing carbon emissions, the extraction process often excludes the very communities living atop the deposits.
| Impact Area | Observed Consequences | Primary Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Human Rights | Forced evictions, physical violence, deaths | State security enforcement of corporate contracts |
| Livelihoods | Loss of agricultural land and food insecurity | Industrial scale mining and agribusiness expansion |
| Environment | Soil degradation and ecological destruction | Unregulated extraction and carbon offset projects |
| Governance | Lack of informed consent and transparency | Procedural manipulation of impact assessments |
Restoring Community Control and Soil Health
The “Protect Our Land, Restore Our Soil” campaign posits that land is more than a financial asset; We see a cornerstone of identity and survival. Rev. Tolbert Thomas Jallah Jr, Executive Director of the Faith and Justice Network and Chairperson of AFSA’s Board of Directors, emphasized that when land is misused or seized, communities lose both their dignity and their security.
The coalition is calling for a fundamental shift in how land is governed, focusing on three primary pillars:
- Strengthening Land Rights: Urging governments to enact legal protections for smallholder farmers that supersede the interests of foreign extractive firms.
- Agroecological Transition: Encouraging a move toward sustainable farming practices that rebuild soil fertility rather than depleting it for short-term industrial gain.
- Informed Consent: Demanding that the “free, prior, and informed consent” of Indigenous Peoples and local communities be a mandatory prerequisite for any land-use decision.
Mariann Bassey Olsson, a lawyer and Director at Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria), argues that the future of African land security lies in restoring community control over territories and securing the mobility of pastoralists, rather than continuing the trend of commodifying food systems.
The Road Ahead
The campaign now seeks to mobilize youthful farmers, urging them to view agriculture as a pathway to innovation and resilience rather than a last resort. By framing land sovereignty as a matter of national and continental security, the AFSA-led coalition hopes to pressure governments to move away from “punitive” extractive practices.
The next critical phase for the movement involves lobbying for the integration of these community-led land protections into national policy frameworks across the affected regions. The coalition intends to use the joint declaration from the ICARRD+20 conference as a blueprint for legal challenges against ongoing land grabs in Kenya and the DRC.
This report is for informational purposes. Those seeking legal assistance regarding land rights or human rights abuses are encouraged to contact accredited legal aid organizations or national human rights commissions.
We invite readers to share their perspectives on the balance between industrial development and community land rights in the comments below.
