A human rights organization at the Coast wants the government to carry due diligence before resettling more than 1,300 squatters occupying the Mazrui Trust land in Kilifi county. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
The government through Rapid Response Initiative, intends to issue between 80,000 and 90,000 title deeds to squatters in the Coast region and now Haki Yetu although acknowledging President Uhuru Kenyatta on the move, wants clear and transparent manner in which the exercise should be carried on in Kilifi County.
The organization said in a statement to Uzalendo News that the exercise should be careful conducted to make sure that all squatters residing on the targeted parcels of land get titles.
“We are aware of the government s plan to resettle 1,300 squatters in Kilifi County and issue about 23,000 land ownership documents. We are also aware that the survey and adjudication of 91 acres at Mikanjuni in Kilifi, which the State bought from the Mazrui Family for the landless, was at an advanced stage,” said the statement signed by the organization’s Executive Director Fr Gabriel Dolan, programs manager Peter Kazungu and Lands program officer Furaha Charo.
The organization however said there are still huge parcels of land under the Mazrui Trust land that are yet to be surveyed and adjudicated.
“We are at the end of 2020, yet the other communities within the 4,319.04 acres land registered under the Mazrui Trust Land Board in the areas of Takaungu, Kiribi wa Ngwani, Kibarani, Mjibu, and Mtondia have not had their land surveyed and adjudicated. Despite their valiant efforts to petition the Parliamentary Committee on Lands for Adjudication and Registration of interests for the persons within Mazrui Trust Land in May 2018, they are yet to be prioritised,” the organization added.
Land Worship
Fr Dolan said as a result of these delays, the community within Mazrui Trust Land are still seeking information on how far the Rapid Response Initiative has gone in issuing 23,000 titles in Kilifi County by end of this year and which of the county the exercise is expected to take place.
“What is the roll out plan for the survey and adjudication of the 4,319.04 acres of Mazrui Trust Land. It is now time that President Uhuru Kenyatta to go beyond this move and make sure that communities living in the Mazrui Trust land get their ownership documents in time to support their livelihoods,” said Fr Dolan.
The organization also said that although the issue of land worship is still a big problem at the coast, it was not captured in the BBI report, hence there is need to have proper mechanisms to address it once for all.
“There is no single mention of land in BBI, why? Yet, that was the main concern of people from the Coast when they submitted their views to the Task Force. Will the President please address these issues as a Christmas gift, as time is running out and landlessness people at the coast are suffering,” added Fr Dolan.
In August this year, Lands Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Gideon Mung’aro announced several measures the national government has taken to address land matters in the region. Some of the measures included purchasing several parcels of land owned by the Mazrui family in different parts of the county.
“We met the President when he was at the Coast and asked for his intervention on the Mazrui land where he promised to address it. As we speak now, we have money for Mazrui, and the government is buying four parcels of land, with three of the parcels in Kilifi. We have fully paid Sh377 million for the Mikanjuni in Mtwapa, we are buying Kagaa in Kibarani where we are purchasing 4,168 acres and for Mazrui, we are starting with Msabaha,” said Mr Mung’aro.
The purchase of the Mtwapa land is expected to resettle almost 10,000 people.
