They say up to 2,000 Masai people in the Ngong Hills, near the capital Nairobi, are threatened with destitution.

Historically, Kikuyu neighbours have bought up farms in the area and intermarried with the Masai from the community of Iloodoariak .

However more recently politicians and businessmen with influential political friends have sought to acquire valuable plots in the Ngong Hills.

The land-grabbing scandal has been much discussed in the Kenyan media.

Joseph ole Simel, who leads the Masai campaign, said the community had been legally entrusted with the land and its division.

But he added: ''During the process, some illiterate elders were appointed by the government against the wishes of the community.

''The people from the ministry of lands hijacked the whole exercise, and by the end of the day it actually benefited their friends and relatives."

As a result, more than 350 people who were not even residents were assigned 20,000 hectares - while more than 1,000 Masai families got nothing.

Masai traditions under threat

Mr Simel says the protests of the community were ignored.

The division of the territory means there is now a danger that the Masai tradition of allowing herds to move freely across communal lands will be jeopardised.

Community leaders are also worried that individual landowners might not manage their plots efficiently and ultimately lose them to banks or other moneylenders.

The campaign is backed by Survival International which helps tribal people protect their lands and human rights.