Grabbers eying Sh1bn Ruto cash for disputed Coastal lands, says senator Abdillahi

UDA senator Miraj Abdillahi has warned Coastal leaders in cahoots with tycoons who are grabbing land in Mombasa.

In most cases, the wealthy show up with fake title deeds and threaten to evict locals from land they inherited from their forefathers, the nominated senator said.  

This comes as President William Ruto set aside Sh1 billion to buy off disputed lands at the Coast to settle those affected. 

Soon after, residents started getting eviction notices and offers to purchase their own land.

“Their intention is now to illegally get a big chunk of the money the President has set aside for lands at the Coast region. I know grabbers are salivating at the Sh1 billion given out by the President,” Abdillahi said.

She spoke Monday at a meeting with Mwembe Kuku and Bondeni residents to discuss the way forward. 

About 5,000 households in the two areas of Mvita constituency have been affected.

Other residents from Mwakirunge and Vikwatani in Kisauni, Kongowea in Nyali and Changamwe face the same predicament.

“I will not allow the President to use taxpayers’ money to pay out land grabbers and oppressors of the Coastal people,” the senator said.

“We will only buy land that we know as a Coastal community we invaded and became squatters.”

It is 'unacceptable' that 60 years after Kenya’s independence, "tycoons from foreign countries are hell bent on evicting natives from their own land".

“They have reached a point where people’s graves are being dug out. Graves that contain remains of our forefathers who died 40, 50, 60 years ago.”

During the colonial times, some rulers in the region were given lands to hold in trust.

But they instead gave the land to their descendants as inheritance, Abdillahi said.

“On Saturday when we marked the 20th anniversary of mugogo Karisa Maitha’s death. We were informed that the land question was priority in his leadership. But 20 years after his death, we as Coastal people are still fighting for our own lands.”

Elimu Sheria Trust chairman Najib Shamsan said there should be thorough vetting of title deeds before the government undertakes any purchases.

Residents bought land from their initial owners, while others inherited them from their forefathers who had purchased them.

This is the case in Mwembe Kuku and Bondeni, Shamsan said on Monday.

“That is why we are asking the President not to allow any payout before a thorough investigation of a title deed is done.”

Concerning foreigners, the chairman said the constitution is clear. 

“We have our ID cards. Let them produce their citizenship.”

Tononoka MCA Ali Sharif called for fresh verification of all the title deeds held by non-natives in the areas affected.

Tycoons living in Dubai, Oman, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries lay claim to the land yet they have never set foot in Mombasa or Kenya.

“It is sad that there are still land issues at the Coast today, 60 years after independence. It is time we sat down as leaders from this area and find a way forward,” Sharif said.

The President's directive required leaders to work together and identify the land that should be bought off.

Leaders were initially scheduled to meet on Monday but the sit down failed to take off.