Locals reject title deeds, want audit

Maji ya Chumvi residents, Kwale County demonstrate against the issuance of controversial title deeds on Wednesday. [Kelvin Karani]

Residents of Kinango in Kwale County have rejected 500 title deeds issued on a controversial 60,000-acre land.

They have called for fresh adjudication and sub-division of the land at Maji ya Chumvi area.

This came barely a week after Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata said an audit of the 500 title deeds had revealed that 70 had been issued irregularly and had been revoked.

Religious leaders and politicians are pushing for an independent audit of the title deeds and the beneficiaries of the land, saying the initial exercise was shrouded in secrecy.

Recently, Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney told residents that the title deeds for those allocated land in the controversial parcel were ready and would be distributed this month.

Yesterday, Rev Fredrick Kanato of the East Africa Pentecostal Church Samburu Parish said faceless tycoons had benefited from the exercise.

“The beneficiaries ought to be vetted afresh and all stakeholders involved to make the exercise transparent. It is a sensitive issue that must be handled with care,” said Kanato.