The indigenous people of Yiaku are the native inhabitants of the Mukogodo forest and over time have been assimilated into stronger tribes especially the Maasai and Samburu through intermarriages. Gradually they have lost their habitat, language, culture and identity, and not even the government has an accurate record on the population of the Yiaku people, which is preventing their recognition as a documented tribe with a dialect.

Creating awareness on the recognition of Yiaku people of Mukogodo as a Kenyan tribe project creates an opportunity for the Yiaku people to be counted during the 2019 census in Kenya. This process entails lobbying with the concerned institutions and stakeholders and creating awareness on the census in the interior areas that the government has had minimal reach due to the remoteness.

Women are at the forefront of this project, this experience builds their capacity and exposes them to leadership and project management skills. As a result of being counted, the Yiaku people have a basis of seeking their rights to resources and take part in decision making.

The  Yiaku Laikipia Trust empowerment grant project  focussed  on  creating  awareness  on  the  recognition  of  Yiaku people of Mukogodo as a Kenyan tribe. The project created an opportunity for the Yiaku people to be counted during the 2019 census in Kenya. The collection of data on the population of the Yiaku served as a reference during advocacy initiatives. The data collected was to enumerate the current number of Yiaku as it stands to date for purposes of laying a basis to demand for recognition. A petition presented to stakeholders including, The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), The Independent Electoral &  Boundaries  Commission (IEBC),  The  County  Government  of  Laikipia and the Presidency was drawn up highlighting the issues faced by the Yiaku as a people and to show the need for recognition and coding of the people as a Kenyan tribe.  

A key win for the project is the rejuvenation and the self-identity of the Yiakunte as a people with a unique culture, history, livelihood and language. This has been made successful by inclusion of the County& National Government and the Local Administration, the chiefs and community opinion leaders. The self-census involved informing the Yiaku people on the importance of being identified as a Yiaku and not the tribes that they have been assimilated to.  For example the case of Mzee (elder in Kiswahili)  Issa  Nkapilil  Supuko, a  Yiaku elder,  artist and  musician who has been empowered  by  the project  to  write  and  record  songs  that  tell  Yiaku stories   and   seek   recognition   of   the   Yiakunte dialect. Have a listen here or here.  

Looking ahead… 

Yiaku Laikipia Trust wants to continuously  lobby of  decision  makers  now  that  they  understand that  a distinct coding and recognition of a tribe can only be achieved through the office  of  the  president.  There  is  need  to  secure  a  meeting  with  the Attorney  General  to  continue  this  process    and  this  has  been  stalled  as most  public  official  are  working  from  home  and  there  are  competing national priority issues.