Residents facing land disputes at the Coast have received renewed assurances from Mvita MP Mohamed Soud Machelle that no one will be forcefully evicted from land they occupy, following high-level consultations with President William Ruto.
Speaking during a one-on-one discussion with communication consultant and security expert Elkana Jacob, Machelle said the government had already issued directives to security agencies to protect residents from unlawful evictions allegedly orchestrated by land grabbers.
“The President is very clear no one will be evicted from their land. Directives have already been issued to all regional and county commanders to protect the people,” Machelle said.
The legislator noted that individuals claiming ownership of disputed land should pursue their grievances through lawful State channels instead of intimidating residents who have occupied the land for decades.
The discussion focused on several contested settlements in Mombasa, including Kwa Bulo in Kadzandani Ward and Sarajevo in FrereTown Ward, where hundreds of families reportedly face uncertainty over ownership claims.
Elkana Jacob highlighted the ongoing Environment and Land Court case involving Mzee Khamis Chokwe under ELC Suit No. 44 of 2023 concerning Plot Numbers 7540/1/MN, 82/V/MN, and 261/1/MN in Mgongeni, FrereTown. According to Jacob, nearly 250 households are allegedly threatened with eviction despite claiming to have lived on the land for generations.
Residents have continued to demand intervention from both the courts and the national government.
“We were born here, and even elderly people above 90 years still live here, yet we continue being harassed. We are asking the court and President Ruto to kindly intervene,” one resident said.
The resident further alleged that the purported land owner had ignored court directives by continuing with developments, including construction works and the installation of CCTV surveillance systems around parts of the disputed land.
Jacob urged residents to remain calm, insisting that the law and public interest would ultimately prevail.
“There is no cause for alarm. Sovereign power belongs to you, the people. During my tenure as a journalist, I witnessed how the State handled the Waitiki land issue in Likoni, and I believe the same approach will be applied in Kwa Bulo, Sarajevo, and many other affected areas,” he said during a recent church gathering in Kwa Bulo.
In another show of support, elders from the Timboni area in Ziwa La Ng’ombe recently invited Jacob for a community meeting, where they commended him for what they described as his dedication to local welfare issues.
Elder Charo Baya praised Jacob for assisting vulnerable families, including helping an elderly resident settle a mortuary bill to facilitate the burial of his granddaughter.
“We summoned you here under this banana plantation so that we could know you better. You have stood with our people, and we wanted to understand you more,” the elder said.
The remarks come as President Ruto continues a five-day development tour of the Coast region, where land reforms and historical injustices remain central political issues.
During the tour, the President launched several development initiatives, including plans for a modern 10,000-seater stadium in Kilifi and affordable housing projects valued at KSh22 billion across the county. The projects also include KSh2 billion earmarked for student hostels in universities, TVET institutions, and KMTC colleges.
According to the government, approximately 1.5 million title deeds have been issued nationwide over the past three years, with around 381,000 issued in the Coast region alone as part of efforts to address historical land ownership injustices.
Last week, more than 33,000 title deeds were distributed to residents during an event at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa County.
President Ruto further announced that an additional 200,000 title deeds are currently being processed and are expected to be issued within the next 90 days, potentially benefiting more than one million Coast residents.
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