Private developers in Lamu accused of hindering quick resolution of land cases

Lamu Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Sangolo addressing a peace and conflict management forum at the Sunsail Hotel November 24, 2016. Unscrupulous barons in Lamu are the key hindrance to the resolution of land cases, a county official has said. PHOTO |KALUME KAZUNGU |NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said immediate resolutions are needed for land issues in Lamu so as to prevent conflicts.
  • In some instances, files go missing from the land registry when the county government makes inquiries on certain ranches.
  • Turbulent election cycles are further spurred by the land question in Lamu.
  • The the county government says it has the political will to resolve historical land injustices.

Well-connected and unscrupulous barons in Lamu are the key hindrance to the resolution of land cases, a county official has said.

County Secretary Siyat Osman has admitted that despite the county government’s determination in resolving land issues in Lamu by ensuring that the rightful owners get their title deeds, there are some private developers and ranchers who still have a stranglehold on land issues in Lamu.

Addressing the public at the Sunsail Hotel and Restaurant in Lamu Island during a peace and conflict management resolution forum on Thursday, Mr Siyat said despite President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to cancel ownership of more than 350,000 acres of land in Lamu that were irregularly acquired in 2015, the land resolution agenda is still marred with speculations and anxiety.

“It is unfortunate that despite the devolution of land functions to the counties, there is still a group of individuals within the lands registry who collude with private developers to alter land records in their favour,” said Mr Siyat.

He further revealed that there have been instances when the county government has made inquiries over records on certain ranches on public land from the lands registry only to find the files missing.

IMPLEMENT CORRECTIVE MEASURES

“The county government is still in the process of trying to tie down who owns which parcel of land in a bid to implement corrective measures,” the county secretary reiterated, adding that it is a costly process.

He said immediate resolutions are needed for land issues in Lamu so as to prevent conflicts which he said heighten during election period.

“Conflict management in Lamu County boils down to how effective the national and county governments work towards resolving land issues in the county due to the historical background indigenous residents who lost their land,” he said.

He also said that turbulent election cycles are further spurred by the land question, adding that the county government has the political will to resolve historical land injustices.

Lamu Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Sangolo said security agencies have managed to prevent pockets of land conflicts especially in Hongwe, Witu and Mpeketoni in the course of the year.

He said these conflicts involved farmers and pastoralists.

“Land disagreements in this region are also contributed to by pastoralists and farmers’ conflicts.

“I am aware that the county government is in the process of formulating a spatial plan and we are in support of such a move to help address farmer and pastoralist conflict,” said Mr Sangolo.