Commission investigates illegal land deals in Kilifi

By Paul Gitau

Kilifi, Kenya: The National Land Commission (NLC) has begun investigating suspected cases of land grabbing in Kilifi County.

NLC Chairman Mohammed Swazuri assured residents of the county his team would thoroughly investigate all illegal land dealings and address the anomalies.

Among the land allocations under probe is the 3,800 hectares of Government’s Agriculture Development Corporation (ADC) in Kisiwani which has been allegedly grabbed by various people who have also secured title deeds.

Revoke title deeds

Also under the commission’s watch are thousands of acres of prime beach plots in Mayungu and Chembe Kibabamche scheme which residents have accused a foreign investor of acquiring illegally.

“Once investigations are over, my commission will revoke all title deeds of land that has been acquired fraudulently,” said Swazuri who was addressing a public gathering at Sabaki in Magarini sub-county, Monday.

On the ADC farm now in private hands, Dr Swazuri said the title deeds would be cancelled. He said the land would remain under ADC, but the governor may write to the commission requesting that the parcel be subdivided and given to the residents.

The chairman visited the area barely two weeks after hundreds of squatters invaded the Government-owned land and evicted workers hired by an Italian national to erect a perimeter fence on the land which he claimed to own.

The residents allegedly attempted to allocate themselves the land, claiming it had been lying idle, but were stopped by the provincial administration.

Residents claimed the Government had promised to allocate them the land.

Two committees of the National Assembly and Senate have threatened to dislodge Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and Swazuri, unless they resolve their differences for the benefit of the country.