President William Ruto has vowed to resolve the long-running squatter problem at the Coast, saying the government will issue 500,000 title deeds to residents before December.
Ruto said the government had deployed hundreds of officers to the region to accelerate the process of surveying, documenting and processing land ownership documents.
Speaking in Kilifi Tuesday, he said the government was determined to address the historical land challenges that have affected residents for years.
“Hili swala la uskwota hapa Pwani nitamaliza,” Ruto said, promising to bring an end to the squatter problem in the region.
He said 300 officers from the Ministry of Lands had been brought together from different parts of the country to speed up the exercise.
“We have our officers from the Ministry of Lands. We have brought together 300 officers from different parts of the country to undertake this work so that we can complete it quickly,” he said.
The officers include teams responsible for surveying land, documentation and other processes required before title deeds can be issued.
Ruto said the government had set a target of issuing 500,000 title deeds to Coast residents before December as part of efforts to resolve land ownership disputes and regularise settlements.
“Tuko na wale wa kufanya survey, wale wa documentation na wale wengine wote ili kabla ya December tuwe tumepatiana title deeds 500,000 ya watu wa hapa Pwani,” he said.
The President linked the lack of secure land ownership to some of the economic challenges facing Coast residents, saying the squatter problem had contributed to poverty and underdevelopment in the region.
He also said the historical land question had contributed to feelings among some Coast residents that they were not fully recognised as Kenyans.
“We want to address the issue of squatters in this area because it has contributed significantly to poverty, deprivation and underdevelopment, as well as the feeling among coastal people that they are not fully Kenyan,” Ruto said.
The President spoke after issuing title deeds to residents in Kilifi, as his administration intensifies efforts to address land ownership issues along the Coast.
The title deeds are expected to provide beneficiaries with formal proof of ownership, enabling them to use their land more securely and potentially access credit and invest in development.
Ruto is on a week-long development tour of the coastal region, during which he is inspecting and launching various government projects.
His visit also comes ahead of the planned groundbreaking ceremony for the Sh2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery project, which is expected to further raise the Coast’s profile as an investment and industrial hub.
The President has repeatedly said resolving historical land challenges is critical to unlocking the economic potential of the Coast and improving the livelihoods of residents.
The latest title deed initiative is therefore being presented as part of the Government’s wider push to address land ownership and spur development in the region.
