In the wake of the devastating landslides that struck Chesongoch, survivors are grappling with loss while reflecting on what many now describe as a preventable tragedy linked to environmental degradation and human encroachment into protected ecosystems.
Francis Jelimo, a lifelong resident of the area, says the disaster unfolded in a way he still finds difficult to process.
He recalls how emergency response efforts were only possible through air support due to the complete inaccessibility of the terrain after roads were cut off by floods and mudslides.
“Even reaching this place was impossible because no vehicles could access the area,” he said. “Helicopters were deployed on the orders of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. They airlifted people to safety.”
The landslides tore through settlements, displacing families and sweeping debris and bodies across valleys as rivers burst their banks and changed course in ways residents say they had never witnessed before. For survivors, the scale and speed of the disaster remain deeply unsettling.
“People were displaced from far and ended up here. Bodies were even found in this area,” Jelimo said. “By God’s grace, my home was on higher ground, and although water surrounded it on both sides, it was not swept away.”
Beyond the immediate devastation, Jelimo points to what he believes is the root cause: long-term encroachment into forest land and the erosion of traditional conservation practices.
“The main cause is human encroachment,” he said. “People have moved deep into the forest, mining gold, farming, and settling as far as Tirap and near Kapyego. That is what led to the massive soil erosion that triggered this disaster.”
He contrasts the present situation with earlier generations who strictly protected forests and enforced clear boundaries between settlements and natural ecosystems.
“Our ancestors protected these forests. No one was allowed to cut trees or farm in those areas,” he explained. “They understood that forests prevent soil erosion. Farming was only done in the lowlands.”
In response to the tragedy, the government has intensified restoration efforts in the region, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen leading interventions aimed at strengthening environmental rehabilitation and protecting water catchment areas.
The initiative is anchored under the Cherangany Hills Ecosystem Restoration for Livelihood Improvement, Sustainability and Harmony Programme, which focuses on restoring degraded landscapes while promoting sustainable livelihoods for communities living around the ecosystem.
Murkomen is expected to officially launch theCHERISH Programme in Kapyego, Marakwet East, 21 May2026, through a large-scale tree-planting exercise alongside the native Sengwer indigenous community, which has embraced the programme for its community-centred conservation approach and recognition of indigenous knowledge in forest restoration.
The Sengwer community, which prides itself on being custodians of the Cherangany forest ecosystem for generations, says the programme marks a shift from exclusionary conservation models to one that actively involves forest-adjacent communities in protecting and restoring degraded landscapes.
The programme also aligns with the government’s national target of restoring tree cover through the 15 billion trees agenda, aimed at reversing deforestation and strengthening climate resilience across the country.
Through CHERISH, authorities are scaling up reforestation, conservation enforcement and community engagement to restore ecological balance and reduce future disaster risk.
During a previous visit to Chesongoch, CS Murkomen, who has personal ties to the Cherangany ecosystem, urged residents to take conservation seriously.
“Residents should engage in environmental conservation as an alternative way to prevent such disasters from recurring in the future,” he said.
Chesongoch now stands as both a place of mourning and a stark reminder of the fragile balance between human activity and environmental protection, and the enduring wisdom of communities that have long safeguarded the forests.
