logo

Kwale residents raise alarm over resurgence of private developers

The land in question is the 960-acre Diani Complex-Tiwi.

image
by SHABAN OMAR

Counties24 January 2024 - 18:00

In Summary


  • • Hamis Mwajao claimed developers, with the help of police officers, are evicting residents from their ancestral land and setting up buildings.
  • • He claimed they cannot effectively challenge land grabbers because in most cases, crucial documents go missing in courts.
Residents protests against land injustices in Tiwi, Kwale county, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

Kwale residents have alleged there is a resurgence of private developers eyeing community land.

The land in question is the 960-acre Diani Complex-Tiwi.

Hamis Mwajao claimed developers, with the help of police officers, are evicting residents from their ancestral land and setting up buildings.

He said the most affected area is Kibwaga village in Tiwi.

Mwajao said the grabbing is happening, despite previous directives by the government, the court and the Lands ministry that the land be returned to the local community.

"President Moi approved that the land should go back to the community and they be issued with title deeds," he said. 

Mwajao said since the directives were issued, none has been implemented and grabbers have continued to subdivide the land.

He claimed the grabbers are using fake documents and financial muscle to deprive residents of their rights.

Mwajao said most private developers claiming land ownership, do not know their neighbours or the actual land boundaries.

He said residents are living like squatters on their ancestral land.

The victims are now urging President William Ruto not to relent on the war against corrupt judicial and state officers, whom he said are subverting justice. 

They urged the head of state to help them reclaim their land.

"President Ruto, we support your fight against corruption and we are counting on you to give us justice," Mwajao said.

He claimed they cannot effectively challenge land grabbers because in most cases, crucial documents go missing in courts.

Mwajao said they want the government to revoke fake Diani Complex title deeds and return the land to the community. They also want land adjudication done afresh.

He said a previous land adjudication process stalled due to lack of funding.

Hamisi Bwika urged Ruto to fulfil his promise to end land injustices in the region.

The 100-year-old man said they have suffered for long, but they now want justice.

He said it is unfair for residents to be denied title deeds, yet rich people get the documents within a short time.

Bwika said land grabbers must be held accountable and the law should take its course.

The centenarian said he is being evicted from the land he inherited from his parents.

Biamu Mwazecha, 110, said it is unjust for developers to take their ancestral lands.

She said residents are treated like strangers and foreigners like indigenous people.

Mwazecha said residents are often intimidated and arrested whenever they raise their voices to fight injustices.

She said she has nowhere to go, yet she is being evicted from her 11 acres, which private developers have subdivided.

Mwazecha said poverty is killing them because of land injustices.

"We have fertile land but we cannot farm or do anything on it. We are just living without a purpose," she said.


logo© The Star 2024. All rights reserved