By Shaban Omar
As cases of historical land injustices continue to escalate in Kwale County, residents have warned investors against undertaking development projects without first engaging affected communities through meaningful public participation.
The warning comes amid growing disputes over land ownership, with private developers claiming large tracts of land in different parts of the county, leaving many families displaced and at risk of losing their ancestral land.
Residents alleged that some investors have become emboldened by the backing of influential politicians and a handful of local individuals who, they claim, prioritize personal interests over the welfare of the wider community.
Speaking on behalf of the residents, Mfaume Hassan from Ng’ombeni said any investor intending to establish a project in Kwale must first consult the communities directly affected.
“The practice where investors meet only a few leaders and selected community members, then claim they have conducted public participation, must come to an end,” Hassan said.
He said residents have endured years of land grabbing and historical injustices and are now determined to protect their land rights.
Hassan said the communities are alert and that Investors must listen to the voices of the people and respect the decisions made by the affected communities instead of imposing projects that residents have already rejected.
“It is not mandatory for us to approve every project. When a community rejects a proposed project, that decision must be respected. Attempts to force projects on people against their will, will only fuel conflict,” Hassan said.
Hassan added that genuine public participation is essential to preventing conflicts and ensuring that development projects benefit both investors and local communities while respecting land rights and the law.
He said many communities have lost trust in some of their leaders, prompting residents to unite in the fight to protect their ancestral land and defend their land rights.
He said that despite Kenya attaining independence decades ago, many communities in Kwale are yet to experience the full benefits of that freedom, as historical land injustices continue to disrupt livelihoods and leave many families living in uncertainty.
“It has been decades since independence, yet many communities in Kwale still do not feel truly free because land injustices continue to affect their lives every day,” Hassan said.
Another Tiwi resident, Juma Amri, called on the national government to expedite efforts to resolve historical land injustices in Kwale County.
Amri said it was unfair that many local communities continue to live as squatters on their own ancestral land decades after Kenya gained independence.
“We are appealing to the government and the President to help us reclaim our ancestral land so that we can live peacefully like other Kenyans,” he said.
He accused politicians of making empty promises over the years while failing to address the long-standing land problem.
Amri said the land crisis has affected thousands of residents across the coastal strip, from Waa to Vanga, as well as several other parts of Kwale County.
He further alleged that while some leaders are aware of the historical land injustices facing local communities, they have chosen to side with private developers instead of defending the interests of the affected residents.
Mwanasha Tengeza, a resident of Waa, said historical land injustices have disproportionately affected women, leaving many unable to improve their livelihoods.
She said the persistent land disputes and fear of eviction have discouraged many women from farming or investing in long-term development projects.
“For us to develop, we must have land, yet many of us have lost our land through grabbing. We cannot invest or farm because we live in constant fear of eviction,” she said.
Tengeza said the land crisis has denied many women the opportunity to own and utilize land, exposing them to marginalization and deepening poverty.
She appealed to William Ruto to intervene and help affected communities recover their ancestral land, saying secure land ownership is key to achieving economic independence.
Tengeza also urged the President Ruto to engage directly with affected residents instead of relying solely on reports from local leaders.
“We ask the President to come and listen to us himself. He should not rely only on what leaders tell him because we are the ones living through these challenges every day,” she said.
Another resident from Kinondo, Hassan Yusuf, criticized locally constituted land committees, claiming they have failed to address the concerns of affected communities and instead serve the interests of politicians.
Yusuf said historical land injustices have left many families in desperate conditions, with some forced to live in makeshift shelters and constantly fear displacement.
“The land committees formed by leaders do not represent our interests. They focus more on protecting political interests than finding lasting solutions to our land problems,” he said.
He added that the land crisis has had devastating social and economic consequences, with many families losing their primary source of livelihood after being dispossessed of their ancestral land.
Yusuf said children have also borne the brunt of the crisis, as many parents can no longer provide for their families after losing access to their ancestral land.
