President Kenyattas family gives 2000 acres to squatters in Taita Taveta

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family has voluntarily given out 2,000 acres of its land to squatters in Taita Taveta.

The land will go towards the resettlement of the squatters who will receive title deeds in a few months’ time, according to a statement sent to newsrooms by State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu.

President Kenyatta is on an extended one-month visit of the Coastal region which involved issuance of 4,073 title deeds to residents of Lamu and 5,007 titles to squatters at Waitiki farm.

The president has also promised to resolve the land issue at Mtwapa and look into the case involving 21 settlements with similar issues as the Waitiki land.

The gesture has however elicited wild condemnation from CORD leader Raila Odinga who said the president should issue more than 2,000 acres.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Odinga questioned the motive behind Kenyatta’s action saying it is insincere for him to issue just a portion of his huge chunks of land to the squatters.

Members of the CORD coalition have interpreted the president’s visit to Mombasa, which was to end last week, as a political move to gain ground in what is seen as a CORD stronghold.

During the visit, Uhuru met with several leaders from Lamu and Mombasa and addressed gatherings and rallies to assure the residents of his commitment to fulfill his pre-election pledges and drum up support for Jubilee.

Early this month, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo downplayed the political significance of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to the Coastal region terming it an exercise in futility.

Midiwo said the trip will not change ODM’s political hold in the region noting that focus should be on the implementation of land reforms and not issuance of title deeds.