Land team set to settle squatters on 2,500 acres

The land commission has declined to renew leases for four plots that had been in the hands of private developers, and converted them into settlement schemes.

The developers held the land, covering 2,544.5 acres, for 100 years before the expiry of the leases last year.

The National Land Commission (NLC) said the property, located in Matuga and Lungalunga constituencies, would now be allocated to squatters.

The decision was announced at a meeting attended by NLC Chairman Muhammad Swazuri, Ministry of Lands officials and Governor Salim Mvurya.

Dr Swazuri said local committees would be formed in the next two weeks to start distributing the land to squatters.

The parcels of land are Tiwi Beach Block/Kwale 11 (167.5 acres), Tiwi Beach Block/Kwale 12 (167 acres), Block 18 (710 acres) and Virji Parbat plot at Vanga in Lungalunga (1,500 acres).

Dr Swazuri said the leaseholders were Mr Liladhar V. Kakad, Mr Navaida J. Chotai and Mr Chanlal Hiladher Lakhan for blocks 11 and 12, Mr J.H. Gidomal for Block 18 and Mr Virji Parbat for the plot at Vanga.

“The 100-year leases were issued on January 1, 1914, and expired on December 31, 2013. We agreed with the Kwale county government not to renew the leases. The plots will now go back to the landless,” he said.

He said the plans will be published in the Kenya Gazette and the local media before the property transfer begins.

Local committees headed by assistant county administrators will manage the plot identification and allocation, he added.

Dr Swazuri later toured plots 11, 12 and Block 18 to familiarise officials with the sizes and current settlement. Most of the land is already settled.

RECEIVE DEEDS

Mr Mvurya welcomed the move by the NLC, saying land was a sensitive issue in the area and had taken long to resolve.

At the same time, more than 1,000 Ruruma residents will soon receive their title deeds following the launch of land demarcation in the area on Tuesday.

County land adjudication and settlements officer Felix Kiteto attended the launch at Kadzuyuni Village.

During the event, the county executive officer in charge of lands, Mr John Mazuri, said the residents would receive their titles at the end of this year.

“We have waited for long to have our own parcels of land. This is the moment. The time the process will take will entirely depend on your cooperation in resolving local boundary disputes,” said Mr Kiteto.

Once the locals agree on the boundaries, the county surveyor’s task during numbering of the plots and allocation will be easy, he added.

The officer asked some residents who had gone to court to block the programme to withdraw their cases because the government was committed to bringing the land disputes in Kilifi County to an end.

SEE PROGRESS

“We are optimistic that this problem will end. Each of you will own a plot,” he said.

Ruruma ward representative Naphtal Kombo urged the residents to be patient.

“We have been waiting to have title deeds since independence but nothing happened. However, one year after devolution, we have started to see some progress. Let’s remain united and work with our leaders for the benefit of the county,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Mnarani ward representative Kahindi Muhambi, who called for transparency in the drive and ensure deserving people are allocated land.

Additional reporting by Kazungu Samuel and Farouk Mwabege