By NURU SALIM
Over 140 families in Vitsangalaweni village, Mtongwe, Likoni Sub-county fear losing compensation due to a land dispute that threatens to derail the construction of the Sh 85 billion Gateway Bridge linking Mombasa Island to the mainland south.
The families, who are among those earmarked for compensation under the project, occupy part of a contested parcel also home to over 1,000 other residents
The community is now calling on the government to halt the project until the ownership of the disputed land is resolved, warning that failure to do so could result in them being forcibly evicted from land they have lived on for generations without any compensation.
The dispute stems from a recent court ruling, which handed ownership of the land to businessman Abdulbasit Muhsin. The judgment granted him authority to evict residents from the land, despite claims by the locals that they have lived there for over a century and legally acquired the land following the expiration of its original lease.
Community elders say they have spent over Sh 600, 000 in legal fees over the past 11 years to defend their ancestral land, but now fear that they may lose both their homes and any right to compensation outlined in the bridge project plan.
According to the project proposal, Sh9.4 billion has been set aside for compensation, meant to benefit 1,706 families affected by the infrastructure.
“I am ready to stand in court alongside others to ensure the one who grabbed this land returns it to us,” said community elder Mzee Mohammed Hamisi Mwadzayuya during a tense public participation forum held in Mtongwe. “We are not giving up on our land,” He added.
Likoni Deputy County Commissioner Mathew Wambugu confirmed that the government is closely monitoring the issue and will act in accordance with the law to protect affected residents.
“When we meet as a committee, I will ensure that this agenda concerning families at risk of not being compensated is prioritized,” he said. He urged the residents to remain calm as investigations continue to determine the rightful owners of the land.
The residents have also petitioned the court and pleaded with President William Ruto to intervene. Their sentiments have been echoed by Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Ali Hassan Joho during their coastal tour with the deputy president who promised to protect the community’s interests.
“I have communicated with relevant authorities and whoever is behind the land grabbing. As the Cabinet Secretary, I won’t allow land grabbing to happen in Likoni,” Joho assured.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki also weighed in, stating that both the President and Coastal leaders including the governors, were seized of the matter and would work to ensure that the 137 families directly affected by the dispute receive justice.
The Gateway Bridge project, covering 62.6 hectares that will affect residents from Mtongwe and Shika Adabu, stretching 1.4 kilometers, is a flagship infrastructure project aimed at easing the notorious congestion at the Likoni ferry crossing. It is also intended to boost tourism and economic activity across the south coast.
However, with the project area now entangled in a fierce ownership battle, the government risks stalling a major development over unresolved land injustices.
