By Lamu Reporter
Residents of Kiwayu Island in Lamu East have appealed for urgent action on their long-standing land grievances.
Following a tour of the island by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Petitions, accompanied by area MP Captain Ruweida Obo, to see for itself how residents have been affected by land management in the Kiunga Marine National Reserve with a section of residents lamenting that they have been marginalized from owning their ancestral land despite several pleas to both the county and national government.
Speaking to the media after the tour visit the PSC committee chairman Mwatate MP Peter Mbogho, stated that the purpose of the visit to Kiwayu sought to examine Public Petition No. 14 of 2025, on the recognition and protection of the traditional and cultural rights of the Kiwayu Island community.
He further stated that the committee was satisfied in its collection of views from all the stakeholders involved and revealed that Parliament would be giving direction over the plight of Kiwayu residents land.
The petition was presented by Captain Ruweida Obo to the National Assembly last year on October 9th 2025 on behalf of residents of Kiunga Ward, and it was approved for committee consideration on 15 October 2025.
Also speaking during the briefing Captain Obo told the visiting legislators that the people of Kiwayu had lived on the island for centuries yet still had no title deeds.
“The residents of Kiwayu have lived here for more than four hundred years and have not received a title deed to this day,” she said.
The MP pointed the committee to what she described as evidence of long settlement with many schools being many years old, together with the wells being more than four hundred years old.
Captain Obo further raised concern over 64 titles allegedly held within the reserve contrary to the provisions within the law.
“What is most disheartening and infuriating is that these parcels were given to wealthy people,” she said.
“This land lies inside the reserve, yet it was handed out freely. How did they come to get titles inside the reserve? And if the locals themselves do not have that freedom to own titles on their ancestral land, how can they claim ownership over an area that has since been gentrified,” she quipped.
She further revealed that outsiders were obtaining titles to large acreages while residents were confined to a small area.
“Generation after generation expands, but they stay in the same place because they do not have that freedom,” she said.
The petition itself makes similar claimsstating that Kiwayu lies within the Kiunga Marine National Reserve and is ancestral land for an indigenous community that relies on artisanal fishing, mangrove conservation and sustainable marine resource management.
The petition further illustrates how private developers have encroached on protected areas with unauthorised developments, and cites reports of fraudulent title deeds and irregular allocations within the reserve.
It also broaches over the role of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act and the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) which states that such encroachments have degraded marine habitat, destroyed coral reefs, fish breeding zones and mangroves, and risk displacing the community and disrupting cultural heritage sites.
Captain Obo on her part urged the Head of State to address the matter further commending the President William Ruto’s efforts to ensure fairness for Kenyans through land titling and adding thaat Kiwayu residents deserved the same, including recognition of community land.
“I expect the President to come and address this matter by December, when he will oversee another National Titling programme on the coast,” she said.
On his part Mwatate MP Mbogho assured residents that the committee was fully seized of the issue.
“We are on top of this matter. The petition raises serious concerns, and we have come to hear from the people of Kiwayu first-hand,” he said.
“Once the petition is heard in full, with submissions from all stakeholders involved as well as the local residents, we are confident a resolution will be found,” he said.
Sumira Athman, a Kiwayu resident said families had lived on the island for generations without any papers for their land.
“We were born here and our parents were born here, yet we have no papers for our land. We are requesting that this matter be addressed urgently,” she said.
Sentiments echoed by Mohammed Abdul, a fisherman and longtime Kiwayu resident said the uncertainty over land had left the community vulnerable.
“We want to continue fishing and protecting our mangroves, but we need security on our land. We ask the government to act without further delay,” he said.