MBUGUNI RESIDENTS IN KWALE ACCUSE POLICE FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THEM FROM ALLEGED LAND GRABBERS

Описание: Mbuguni residents within Matuga sub-county in Kwale county have called on Kwale governor Fatuma Achani to help and protect them from continued land grabbers who are alleged to be under police protection.

The residents who camped outside county headquarters before being addressed by Governor representatives and pledged to take up the issue said that they are facing intimidation and harassment from a private developer.

They want the governor to intervene and ensure that the Mbuguni settlement scheme adjudication process that took place in 2018 is revoked due to what they called irregularities in the process occasioned by land officials in the area.

Led by their Lawyer Mtana Mwaunga, the residents said that they will not relent in fighting for their land rights as enshrined in the constitution 2010.

Article 40 (1) states that subject to Article 65, every person has the right, either individually or in association with others to acquire and own property of any description and in any part of Kenya.

Mtana said that it is unfortunate that Mbuguni locals continue to live like squatters in a land that the government is supposed to have issued them with title deeds long time ago to avoid harassment and land grabbing.

He called on the county government of Kwale and area Member of parliament Kassim Tandaza to intervene and help them out.

According to Kahaso Mbita, the Mteza-Mbuguni residents continue to live in fear due to tycoons interested in the land for development at the expense of residents.

Shaban Athman, also a resident, said that the previous land adjudication in the area was shrouded with a lot of corruption leaving genuine residents with three acres for five people instead of the previous plan of four acres per person.

“Imagine the process ended with three acres of land being allocated to five people while we still have outsiders who own more than three pieces of land in the area. That is why we want governor Fatuma Achani to intervene and cancel the 2018 exercise in entirety,” he added.

The Mteza Mbuguni phase two residents said that despite them going to court over the same and court order being issued against aby development, a private developer has continued to develop and harass innocent residents.

Juma Matano said that police have continued to harass them by arresting innocent people at the expense of private developers ignoring court orders