4,000 Title Deeds for Coast Residents as Uhuru Promises more Goodies

The Head of State made the announcement amid calls by area leaders to address the emotive land issue that has rendered thousands of residents landless.

The President was responding to calls by Taita Taveta Governor John Mrutu, Senator Dan Mwazo and Women Representative Joyce Lay among others to ensure that private investors in the area do not continue enjoying undue advantage as residents languish in poverty and for lack of land.

The leaders accused the private investors of grabbing land from the residents and called on the government to ensure that their leases are cancelled with immediate effect.

However, the President noted that the Ministry of Land, together with the National Land Commission (NLC) are doing all they can to fast track the issuance of titles to the residents.

“The Ministry of Land has already processed 4,000 title deeds that will be issued very soon as a way of addressing the emotive land issue,” said the President.

He also ordered for an immediate deployment of more adjudication officers to the Coast region to help in the process of allocating the necessary documents to residents and address the land issue once and for all.

Corruption in the Ministry of Lands

The land issue has in the past generated debate in the public sphere over historical land injustices that have affected the country and especially the Coast region.

A section of Mombasa County residents under the banner of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) – an outlawed group – has been calling for the secession of the county citing negligence by the national government.

At the same time, the Ministry of Land has been under sharp criticism from the public and other leaders over alleged incompetence of its staff and massive corruption that has led to illegal land deals.

The Head of State was addressing a public rally at the Moi Stadium in Voi, Taita Taveta after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

He was accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries Major (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery (Interior), James Macharia (Health), Najib Balala (Mining), Adan Mohamed (industrialization) and Hassan Wario (Sports), Governors John Mrutu (Taita Taveta), Dr Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Senator Danson Mwazo (Taita Taveta) and area Women Representative Joyce Lay among other leaders.