Raila Odinga says title deeds issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta illegal

CORD team campaigns in Lunga Lunga ahead of parliamentary by-election.

By Tobias Chanji

Kwale, Kenya: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed as illegal the title deeds issued recently by President Uhuru Kenyatta to Coast residents.

Leading the CORD team with Bungoma senatorial candidate Moses Wetang’ula in campaigns for the coalition’s candidate for the Lunga Lunga parliamentary seat, Khatib Mwashetani, Sunday, Raila claimed Uhuru issued the deeds to woo voters in a region dominated by CORD in the last elections.

Speaking in Shimoni town, Raila described the issuing of the 60,000 deeds as propaganda by the Jubilee government.

“They are using the issue as an entrance to Coast politics. Be warned that those title deeds have no any legal basis as the work of issuing them was left with both the National Land Commission and the county government,” said Raila at a rally in Shimoni.

Also accompanying Raila was Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama who claimed that Jubilee stole the last elections and urged local voters to “protect your votes” because there could be a snap election anytime, but he failed to elaborate.

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Sunday, the CORD leaders toured Kikoneni, Mamba, Mwereni, Mwanguda and other parts in Lunga Lunga constituency.

They told voters during a stop in Shimoni town that CORD was confident of winning the Lunga Lunga seat through Mwashetani.

Land problems

Raila wondered how Jubilee could offer solutions yet he claimed some in the Government were behind the land problems at the Coast.

He said instead of Uhuru issuing the title deeds, he should have tried to solve the historical injustices that date back to 1912.

Siaya Senator and former Lands minister, James Orengo, said there was no goodwill from the Jubilee government to solve the land problem at the Coast.

“You have been given deeds that are not reflected in Nairobi. Most of the land here was given as presents to people from upcountry and if we want to fight this then do what is right for the Coastal people,” said Orengo.

The ongoing by-elections in various parts of the country saw some leaders claiming that there was a sinister motive by the Jubilee government to target CORD regions only.