HUDUMA CENTRE, Kisumu, October 25th-Members of the Nubian community in Kisumu now want proper representation of the tribe across the entire spectrum within the area.
The community, which is classified as among the marginalised in the country, feel that they have been excluded from matters of legislation both at the national and county levels.
Through their spokesman, Mr Ratib Farjala, the community, which appeared in Kisumu during a public participation exercise on the National Draft Policy on Ethnic Minorities and Marginalised Communities in Kenya, called for a reversal of the years-long injustices.
Mr Farjala said the Nubian community are not represented at the Kisumu county assembly and even in the national parliament.
”Many Nubians suffered heavy losses when a number were forcefully evicted from their land parcels in Kibos,” he said.
Farjala said many people lost property while casualties were reported during the heinous exercise.
Similar concerns on exclusions were raised by the members of the Kasagam and Talai communities similarly pointed out that they have been excluded in many aspects of life.
Mr Bob Jobita, who is the chairman of the Madiaba community-based organisation in Nyalenda, demanded to know how the Kenyan prisons managed to secure huge tracts of land belonging to their ancestors.
“For so many years, been treated as outsiders by people of Kisumu County,but we are now pursuing the issue through legal channels,” Jobita said.
An Assistant County Commissioner, Mr Patrick Mahero, assured the communities that their grievances were being addressed via legislation.
It was heard that the Nubian community is now classified as tribe number 51.
