Malindi beach invaders warned

By Paul Gitau

 

The Malindi District security team has warned residents against invading and settling on beach plots.

The committee, under the chairmanship of Malindi DC Arthur Mugira, said stern action would be taken against those taking the law into their hands by allocating themselves plots along the beach.

Mr Mugira also ordered those who had invaded beach land next to the Malindi Jetty to vacate or face the law.

“The Government will not condone any acts of hooliganism and any person invading private or public land will not be allowed,” he said.

His sentiments follow an incident in which more than 300 squatters invaded beach land at the Jetty and started sub-dividing it among themselves last Friday, prompting Malindi Municipal Council askaris to pull down several structures that had been constructed.

The askaris action sparked off violence that forced them and Administration Police officers to flee when the youth started attacking them.

The youth then marched to the Malindi Town Hall demanding audience with the mayor and town clerk.

The DC said police officers had been deployed in the area to guard the plots, adding that those wishing to own plots on the disputed land should follow the laid down procedures of land acquisition.

Elsewhere in Lamu residents have appealed to Lands Minister James Orengo to ensure full involvement of locals in all settlement schemes recommended in 2006 by the District Development Committee (DDC) to lock out grabbers eyeing prime land.

They are particularly opposed to  restrictions of allocations to only eight acres per family on the Swahili settlement scheme covering prime plots so that the remaining land could be allocated to influential people.