Madaraka Day: Kilifi's 1,300 squatters celebrate land court battle victory

Mombasa County Commissioner, Mohamed Noor Hassan addresses Mombasa Residents during Madaraka day celebrations held at Kidauni in Mombasa. June 1,2026(Omondi Onyango, Standard).

It was an exciting Madaraka Day for over 1,300 squatters in Ganda Ward, Kilifi County, after they secured ownership of the land they have occupied for decades.

The families secured the ownership of a 327.8-acre parcel of land in Mtakatieni village, Kijiwetanga, after a 12-year legal battle with absentee landlords.

The court recognised the squatters as the rightful owners through adverse possession after they proved they lived on the land continuously for over 20 years.

Yesterday, they held a ceremony at Mtakatieni village after they received the title deed for the property, marking the end of years of uncertainty and fear of eviction.

Mtakatieni-Kijiwetanga Community-Based Organisation (CBO) chairman Fani Randani said they endured years of intimidation from the absentee landlords.

“We lived in constant fear of eviction and harassment on Plot Number 333 Mtakatieni. Alleged landowners would occasionally come with threats, sometimes accompanied by police officers. We were advised by professionals and local leaders to unite and form the Mtakatieni-Kijiwetanga CBO. Through that platform, we hired a lawyer and moved to court. It has been a difficult journey, but today we finally have the mother title,” he said.

Randani noted that financing the court process was one of the biggest challenges the community faced. Members contributed whatever they could afford to cater for legal fees, land searches, and travel expenses to land offices in Mombasa and Nairobi.

“Many of our members are struggling financially, but because we believed in the cause, everyone contributed according to their ability. We also received support from several leaders, including our area MCA,” he said.

The community has now embarked on the subdivision process to ensure every family receives an individual title deed.

“Surveyors have already begun mapping the land in preparation for subdivision. I urge all members to cooperate so that the process can be completed smoothly and within the shortest time possible,” Randani said.

He encouraged other squatters facing similar land ownership challenges to pursue adverse possession through the courts, describing it as a legitimate pathway to securing land rights.

“Our MCA has also tabled a motion in the Kilifi County Assembly seeking the establishment of a Squatter Land Resettlement Fund. Such a fund would help squatters acquire ownership documents without having to raise money for lengthy court processes. I encourage those living on disputed land to consider adverse possession because it is a lawful way of securing ownership,” he said.

Ganda ward MCA Oscar Wanje said the proposed county fund would complement the national government’s efforts to purchase land from absentee landlords and settle squatters.

“The law under Cap 22, Sections 13 and 17, provides for adverse possession. People who have occupied land for more than 12 years can move to court and seek ownership rights. In many cases, absentee landlords are willing to sell, but squatters cannot afford to buy the land. A county resettlement fund would help bridge that gap because the national government alone cannot resolve all squatter issues,” he said.

Wanje noted that the successful acquisition of the title would directly benefit more than 5,000 people.

“We have over 1,300 registered families in the Mtakatieni-Kijiwetanga CBO. This translates to more than 5,000 people who have now graduated from the squatter status and will legally own land. Unfortunately, the squatter problem has often been exploited for political gain instead of being resolved,” he said.

The development comes shortly after President William Ruto, during a recent visit to Kilifi County, announced that his administration had set aside Sh3 billion to purchase land for the resettlement of squatters across the country.