This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 25, 2019, the Ministry of Land, working with the National Land Commission, took a significant step towards addressing land injustices in Kwale County by revoking over 70 title deeds that were fraudulently acquired.
The move follows a regional audit chaired by Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata, which revealed that some parcels of land had exchanged hands fraudulently while others were allocated illegally.
During a meeting with Maji ya Chumvi residents in Kinango, Kwale County, Elungata pointed out that the local land committee had also illegally allocated itself land, while residents who previously owned an estimated 15,000 acres of land were allocated only two acres.
Elungata assured the residents that genuine title deeds would be issued to them within two weeks. He also announced that the government is creating a database on settlement schemes in the Coast region to address historical land injustices.
Kwale County Land and Planning Executive Saumu Baya explained that Maji Ya Chumvi Location was declared a land adjudication scheme in 2014, and the government authorized the demarcation of the land to the residents. Baya also revealed that the county spent Ksh 6 million to carry out the exercise of adjudication in Maji Ya Chumvi Location.
Residents of the area have welcomed the government's move to address their historical land injustices.
