Ruto wraps up eight-day Coast tour with title deeds, warning to absentee landlords

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Ruto says his administration is engaging absentee landlords to surrender portions of their land to squatters who have occupied the properties for years.

President William Ruto on Saturday ended his eight-day development tour of the Coast with renewed promises to address the region’s longstanding squatter problem, but the low number of title deeds issued in Mombasa has raised questions over the pace of land adjudication in the county.

Mombasa received only 4,360 title deeds, far below allocations in other coastal counties during the President’s tour.

Kwale received 94,175 title deeds, while Kilifi was allocated 36,826 and Taita-Taveta 31,318. Lamu and Tana River counties jointly received 22,770 title deeds.

The disparity has renewed debate over why thousands of Mombasa residents living on land affected by ownership disputes continue to wait for legal ownership documents.

Court cases and lack of approvals by absentee landlords have slowed the adjudication process in areas including Zum Zum, Katani, Kwa Bulo and Aldina.

President Ruto has said his administration is engaging absentee landlords to surrender portions of their land to squatters who have occupied the properties for years.

He said the initiative would benefit more than 200,000 households, translating to nearly one million people across the Coast region.

“We will not give in to the greed of the few absentee landlords who continue to frustrate our efforts to resolve historical land injustices at the Coast. You cannot blackmail us, we will not allow it. I told you we sit and discuss and i pay you off, but we will not allow evictions from those lands,” he said on Friday at the Mama Ngina Waterfront Grounds in Mombasa County, where he issued 5,000 title deeds to residents.

The President concluded his tour in Lamu, where he issued 20,189 title deeds to residents, drawing large crowds at Mokowe Secondary School in Lamu West.

The event also became a platform for the government and Coast leaders to rally support for the Sh2 trillion Dangote East Africa Petroleum and Petrochemical Special Economic Zone, which was recently launched in Lamu.

President Ruto said the government had allocated an additional Sh7.5 billion to construct 3,000 houses for workers expected to be employed at the refinery.

“Because we shall have the biggest oil refinery in East Africa, the government of Kenya has allocated Sh7.5 billion to construct 3,000 houses in support of the programme of constructing the oil refinery. We want those coming to work at the project to have decent dwelling, working at the refinery,” said Mr Ruto.

The government had initially allocated Sh6 billion for affordable housing in Mokowe and Mpeketoni.

Mr Ruto assured residents that Lamu locals would receive priority in employment and opportunities arising from the refinery before workers and investors from other parts of the Coast and other regions are brought in.

“Those who despised Lamu are shocked. It’s a small county but has turned out to be the epicentre of development of this country going forward,” he said.

The President also criticised opponents of the refinery, accusing them of frustrating development projects and investors.

“You are brokers of development and I won’t allow you to frustrate our investors. You want to be paid, given shares…for what? If it’s money to be paid will be undertaken to the people of Lamu and not you,” said President Ruto.

He compared criticism of the refinery with opposition previously directed at the Social Health Authority, affordable housing and the Rironi-Mau Summit road project.

“You tried to oppose SHA and affordable housing but all these projects are ongoing. The refinery will also be undertaken as well,” he said.

Mr Ruto said the national government, county government and local committees would be established to address grievances that may emerge during construction of the refinery.

Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho described the project as a potential turning point for the Coast, saying the region had suffered decades of marginalisation.

“The marginalization of Lamu and the Coast region in previous years was intentional. Those opposing it are the ones behind such decades-old marginalization. We know you and should stop,” said Mr Joho.

Lamu Governor Issa Timamy said residents supported the refinery and promised that genuine indigenous landowners affected by the project would be compensated.

“We shall only pay lands for genuine, indigenous people and not those masquerading as landowners with bad intention to benefit from any possible compensation,” said Mr Timamy.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi also urged Coast residents to support the refinery, saying it would create jobs and stimulate economic activity.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said the project would go beyond oil refining by establishing a petrochemical special economic zone capable of supporting local enterprises and diversifying the regional economy.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the 20,189 title deeds issued in Lamu would give thousands of residents formal ownership of their land.

The beneficiaries included 2,765 residents of Vipingoni, 1,235 from Basuba and Kiangwe, 448 from Muhamarani, 359 from Mtangawanda, 2,316 from Mwambore, 1,143 from Mvundeni, 4,167 from Simambaye, 1,111 from Rubu and 3,981 from Ashuwei, as well as residents of Lake Amu, Baharini and Lake Kenyatta.

The Lamu issuance brings fresh attention to the wider Coast titling programme, even as thousands of Mombasa residents continue waiting for their land disputes to be resolved.

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