Samboja says Taita Taveta must reclaim Mackinnon Township

Taita-taveta County Governor Granton Samboja arriving at the disputed Mackinoon Road Township between Kwale and Taita. [Renson Mnyamwezi, Standard]

Taita Taveta County Governor Granton Samboja has escalated the border dispute with Kwale County, saying he will not relent in his efforts to reclaim Mackinnon Road Township.

The governor vowed to deploy revenue and law enforcement officers to Mackinnon Road and Mtito Andei townships, saying they were “grabbed” by Makueni and Kwale counties respectively and must be reclaimed for the benefit of Taita Taveta County.

“I am not a coward as many people think. I will take over the management of the towns and no amount of intimidation or threats will deter me from taking what is rightfully ours. We have documentary evidence showing that the towns belong to the county,” he told The Standard.

Revenue share

The governor claimed Mackinnon was grabbed to boost the population of Kwale so it could benefit from resource allocation and distribution from the national government.

The governor blamed chiefs and their assistants from Kwale for complicating the boundary dispute by illegally sub-dividing land in the town and allocating it to people from outside.

Last Friday, Samboja and local elected leaders stormed Mackinnon Township despite protests from Kwale leaders.

“This is a violation of Kwale residents’ rights and freedoms,” read a statement from Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya’s spokesman, Daniel Nyassy.

On Sunday, Mr Nyassy accused Samboja of incitement and vowed that Kwale would never agree to cede Mackinnon Township.