President William Ruto began a five-day extensive development tour of the Coast region on Thursday morning by issuing more than 33,000 title deeds to residents from Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale and Taita-Taveta counties.
The land documents were handed over at Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa County, covering pieces of land in Kilifi/Weru Ranch, Mwele Simakeni, Msabaha, Ka Dzandani, Wachu Kordentu and the Ronge Juu Registration Unit.
A Commitment Kept
“Today, we are here to address the challenge of squatters, citizens who live in fear of being evicted. It is a commitment I made and it is a commitment I intend to keep,” the President said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, and several Cabinet Secretaries and Governors were present at the ceremony. The titles are for land in areas that have suffered from long-standing land ownership disputes.
Millions More to Follow
In the past three years, President Ruto announced 1.5 million title deeds have been issued across the country, with 381,000 deeds to Coast residents to address historical land ownership challenges.
He said the government is processing an additional 200,000 title deeds in different parts of the Coast region, which will be ready in the next 90 days, benefiting more than one million residents.
“One million residents will be issued with title deeds. They will stop being squatters and become landowners,” he said.
Land Disputes Resolved
The President explained that the government has successfully negotiated with absentee landlords and acquired several parcels of land across the Coast region that will help resolve long-standing disputes and settle affected families.
He cited the case of Ronge Juu in Taita Taveta, where families have waited for nearly 60 years for formal recognition and ownership documentation since the area was established in 1969.
Ongoing land adjudication processes are underway in various parts of the Coast region, including Vigurungani, Mtaa, Mazola, Chengoni, Bofu, Gandini, and Kitengwani, expected to result in the issuance of more than 55,000 title deeds.
What This Means
The government is also strengthening the registration of community land to protect communal heritage and secure the rights of local communities, with six units already formalised in Taita-Taveta and Tana River counties, and nine more being processed across the region.
