Lamu MCAs want Swazuri to stop revoking land title deeds and seek solutions

Lamu County Assembly members have asked the National Land Commission not to cancel ownership of plots in the region but deal with irregularities in allocations instead.

They said Monday that revoking title deeds would cause and escalate conflicts.

Addressing journalists after a special meeting at the Kenya Ports Authority, the MCAs said all lands under investigation belonged to the indigenous people of Lamu.

They asked the commission to ensure all irregularities were resolved without having to cancel title deeds.

Insisting the affected parcels, including the 22 in Lamu, had owners, the MCAs wondered where “our people” would invest should their titles be revoked.

It was better to legalise the irregularities than to revoke the titles, County Deputy Speaker Azhar Ali Mbarak said.

He blamed previous regimes for classifying most Lamu plots as public land, creating avenues for grabbers.

SOUGHT TRANSPARENCY

Speaker Mohamed Hashim sought transparency, accountability and justice in the ministry’s and the commission’s tackling of Lamu problems.

He asked leaders to join hands in ensuring that the rights of their people were protected.

For that to happen, Mr Hashim said, the county government and assembly should be fully involved in land matters.

Witu Ward rep Mohamed Amin said the constitutional mandate of the NLC was not to revoke but to ensure that any questionable lands and their present anomalies are resolved.

The MCAs’ sentiments came days after NLC boss Muhammad Swazuri met county leaders to discuss the fate of the 22 ranches, whose ownership is controversial.

The final comprehensive report on these companies is expected to be released before the end of this week, according to Dr Swazuri.