Residents of Kibwaga village, Tiwi, in Kwale county are worried after a private developer allegedly grabbed part of their ancestral land reserved for community development.
The private developer allegedly claims ownership of one out of the seven acres set aside for mosque, madrassa and school construction.
Residents said the investor has for the last one week reportedly been digging the foundation to fence off the grabbed area.
Their chairman, Juma Amir, alleged the private developer is also eyeing the remaining land.
"We are concerned about this person who has come here to take our land, and without hesitation, the developer is preparing to fence the land and encroach on the remaining portion," he said.
Amir said the developer's activities are giving residents sleepless nights.
He said they inherited the land from their ancestors, who proposed that a mosque and madrasa be constructed.
Amir said the community in 2018 drilled a well and had sought monetary support from well-wishers to construct the mosque.
The process of developing the area by the community was underway, and the construction of the mosque was set to begin in July.
The chairman said land grabbers are claiming ownership of vast tracts of community land.
"Land grabbers have surrounded us from all sides. We are being taken left and right as our lands are grabbed," Amir said.
Resident Mwanaharusi Mbeto said they wanted to construct the mosque, madrasa and school so children can access quality secular and religious education.
She said at the moment, children and residents have to trek long distances for prayers and education.
Mbeto said the nearest mosque is three kilometres away.
She said if the mosque, madrasa and school project are not implemented, the community will continue to suffer.
Mbeto said many young people engage in crime for lack of proper religious and formal education.
"The project was all about helping our children and community and if it doesn't take place it will result in an unstable future for the bloodline to follow," she said.
Khamis Bwika said land grabbing in Tiwi is worrying.
He said private developers are taking advantage of the community's calmness to deprive them of their rights.
Bwika said residents are constantly intimidated by land grabbers but they are now fed up with land injustices.
"We are not going to remain silent. They should leave us and our land in peace," he said.
Bwika said residents live like squatters in their ancestral land and most families live on small plots because of protracted land injustices.
He said they might run out of patience if land grabbing will not stop.
"We have been made fools for so long and we can't take it anymore. We want all our grabbed ancestral lands," Bwika said.
Mombasa Branch Reform Network representing officer Amir Bejito said the alleged grabbed land belongs to the community.
He said they will support the community to fight against land injustices and ensure their dream project is successful.
