Residents claim ‘outsiders’ given land

By JOSEPH MASHA

Kilifi County: Distribution of the 1,090 title deeds for residents of Chakama in Magarini Constituency was disrupted for a while after residents claimed the land had been allocated to outsiders.

They said though they had presented a list of 800 families, only 400 families were allocated land and got issued with title deeds.

The Scheme Land Allocation Committee Chairman Emmanuel Katana said the lands officers and the officers from the provincial administration had requested the community to present a list of 800 families to be allocated land at the scheme.

Katana said as the survey way going on, the same officers called him and instructed his committee to reduce the number to 400.

“When we started this work as a committee, we were told to prepare a list of 800 families to be allocated land at the Chakama phase 1 Settlement Scheme but later on, the same officers instructed the committee to reduce the number to 400. No reasons were given to us” he said.

The chairman who was allowed to make his speech before the distribution of the title deeds at Kathama Primary School shocked both officers from Kilifi County government and Malindi MP Dan Kazungu when he revealed that most of the land had been allocated to non-residents.

Kilifi County Executive Member in charge of Lands John Mazuri had led the other officers from the county government and those of Lands from the national government to distribute the title deeds, which were recently issued by President Uhuru.

However, Malindi District Lands and Settlement Officer Gathogo Kamau dismissed Katana’s claims and argued that proper procedures to allocate the scheme were followed.

“Proper land allocation was followed and claims that people from outside the area were allocated is not true,” he said.

The officer said land allocation guidelines on settlement scheme entails that part of the land is given to the locals as well as other few people from outside. He said some portions of land needed to be spared for public utilities like roads, schools, and health centers among others.

Malindi deputy county commissioner Joshua Nkanatha announced that 300 acres from the scheme land had been reserved for public utilities.