Over 400 locals face eviction from their land in Kilifi

Over 400 locals in Kulesa village in Adu Ward, Magarini sub-county in Kilifi, are under threat of eviction from a  dispute over a 20,000-acre tract of land.

This is after some wealthy individuals, purportedly with support from Ministry of Lands officials, seize the land claiming ownership.

The said investors have title deeds while the locals claim ancestral ownership.

Led by the community representative Justin Ngumbao, the locals insist that they are the legitimate owners and they have lived on the land for the past 11 years.

"We were the first people to settle in this area, and this area was virgin land. We paid money to the owners of the land," said Ngumbao.

However, after the land was adjudicated, they realised that their piece of land was subdivided and allocated to other individuals.

Ngumbao accused surveyors from the ministry of lands of being complicit in the intimidation of residents.

"During adjudication, we showed the surveyors our lands. Surprisingly, when the title deeds came out, we realised that our plots of land were given to other people who are non-residents," he said.

It is alarming that these land grabbers are able to act with such impunity, Ngumbao added.

Ngumbao says that already some of them are being barred from accessing their lands.

He further alleged that the Ministry of Lands had allowed alterations to the original land map, which facilitated the subdivision of the property by the alleged grabbers.

Sulubu Nguma, another local, says he bought his land in 2015, and he has never received any threats until recently.

"We have been living peacefully, but recently we realised that we have not been included in the documentation," Sulubu says. 

Magarini sub-county activist Stembo Kaviha says the locals have been repeatedly threatened and harassed.

Kaviha has called for the revocation of the involved surveyors and immediate action to be taken against them.

'We want to know how the title deeds ended up with other people instead of the rightful owners,' said Kaviha.

The eviction could also affect public services located on the land, including schools and dispensaries, raising concerns about disruption to education and healthcare for the local community.

The locals have asked President William Ruto to intervene and fulfil his earlier promises of settling land disputes in the coastal region.

"The president promised to solve the land question, but nothing tangible has been done," said Katana Mabilo.

They also asked Kilifi governor Gideon Mungaro and senate speaker Amason Kingi to look into the matter. 

The dispute highlights concern over land ownership in Kilifi County, where residents say fraudulent claims and alleged collusion with officials have left communities vulnerable to forced evictions.