Men Deny Women Land, When They Grow Old it’s Daughters Who Care for Them, Faith Alubbe

By Hillary Lisimba

Kenya Land Alliance (KLA) Chief Executive Officer Faith Alubbe has pointed out the irony that exists on matters of land inheritance for daughters.

According to her, patriarchy is the reason men continue overlooking their daughters when dishing out family land.

Daughters are wild seeds

She told TUKO.co.ke that society has drilled into the minds of everyone that daughters are "wild seeds" who get married and start new families elsewhere.

Alubbe, however, took issue with the fact that the same fathers who deny their daughters land are quick to look for them when old age sets in.

"Its ironical that men don’t want to give women land, yet when they grow old it’s the daughters who take care of them," she noted.

Alubbe believes that, while it is true women get married and own land in their matrimonial homes, their fathers can gift them a bit of what they own.

Kenyans serve land

The human rights activist is quick to explain that land is an emotive issue in Kenya since it’s our sense of belonging, which is what makes locals hold it dear.

She blames this on the fact that history was skewed in way that too much value was attached to property, an anomaly that can only be corrected if we include it in the syllabus from a young age.

"The problem with this attachment is that we are serving land instead of it serving us," she continued.

Alubbe expressed her desire for the day society will fully embrace the idea of daughters inheriting parental property.

Fighting for women's land rights

In an earlier interview, the brilliant lawyer disclosed that she got interested in helping women with matters of land while working at the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

She revealed that she was heartbroken by how women lost matrimonial property when divorce happened.

When she became the CEO of Kenya Land Alliance, she set her sights on fighting for women and marginalised communities.

Apart from working to change unfavourable land policies, the nonprofit organisation provides free legal services to residents of slums and those in the rural areas.

This article was published on TUKO NEWS on May 3 2023. Read more: https://www.tuko.co.ke/people/family/504508-men-deny-women-land-grow-s-daughters-care-faith-alubbe/