"They Extracted Billions Through Land Grabs and Plantations" Senator Ledama Laments On Current Problems Facing Kenyans as They Mark 62nd Jamhuri Day

Jamhuri Day celebrations were held at Nyayo Stadium on Friday 12th December.

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina took to X and challenged Kenyans to reflect on the true meaning of independence, warning that economic inequality persists decades after freedom. 

The celebrations were graced by President William Ruto and hosted Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama as the chief guest, with a focus on promoting Kenya’s tourism sector.

“Independence without economic justice is just a flag over someone else’s plantation,” Ledama wrote on X. 

He added that “Britain extracted over $150 billion from Kenya through land grabs and plantations, and that legacy still enriches foreign firms and local elites.”

The Narok senator’s remarks highlight the lasting economic consequences of colonialism.

Kenya’s history saw large tracts of fertile land seized from indigenous communities, particularly in the Rift Valley, Central, and Coast regions, and converted into plantations and settler estates. 

While independence in 1963 restored political sovereignty, many structures concentrating wealth remained, fueling the inequalities still seen today.