Kaya elders arrested as 135-acre Mombasa farm row hots up

Some of the squatters at Lamukani village in Bamburi within Kisauni mainland erect a structure on a disputed land on Tuesday. (Photo: Gideon Maundu/Standard)

The ownership stalemate of the Lamukani Farm in Mombasa’s Bamburi escalated Wednesday after 50 Kaya elders and residents were arrested by police and charged with trespassing into a disputed private property.

The elders had accompanied thousands of squatters who have been camping on the disputed land, waiting to occupy it.

When officers arrived at the scene, the squatters who had been trying to forcibly occupy the land fled, but the elders stood their ground.

Before their arrest, the Kaya elders led by Charo Nguma had toured the farm early in the day and performed rituals.

The rituals included pronouncing curses on local administrators and political leaders who they claimed “stood and watched as justice was being subverted” over the ownership of the farm which is contested in court.

Speaking to residents on the 135-acre farm, Nguma called on National Land Commission (NLC) Chairman Muhammad Swazuri to intervene and resolve the issue which he said had dragged for long.

Nguma said the farm had since been subdivided and asked those who had bought the land and built homes to leave ahead of the resolution of the issue.

Lawful owners

“We don’t want to take the law into our hands and that is why we’re asking those who have bought and built homes to leave as this land has its lawful owners,” said Nguma while addressing the residents who have camped on the farm since Wednesday.

He said those claiming ownership of the plot had colluded with land officials to forge documents.

He accused politicians of abandoning the squatters and asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and resolve the issue.

“The local leadership, including the office of the governor, senator and our area MP, has turned a deaf ear to our cry for justice.

“We are appealing to the President and his deputy to intervene and have this matter resolved,” said Nguma.

The residents complained of continued portioning and selling of parcels despite a court order restricting the two activities.

The squatters vowed to stay put until a solution is found.

“We will continue camping on this land until the issue is resolved. Let NLC intervene and provide a fair arbitration on this matter.

“We want to see those who claim to own this land,” said the residents’ spokesman Alfred Mwalimu.

“The strangest thing is those who claim to own the land have never come out openly so that we can know them.

“The same said owners have refused to honour summons by NLC and continue to partition the land and sell the plots,” said Mwalimu.

Mwalimu said 527 families were evicted in 2010 without a court order.

The squatters returned to the land in August last year, but were evicted by police for trespass.

“I feel sad that my great grandchildren are living as squatters and yet this is where their home is,” said elder Masoud Salim.