By Lamu Reporter
At least 20,283 residents of Lamu West and Lamu East constituencies have received title deeds, ending a long journey from landlessness to land ownership.
The documents were issued at a ceremony in Mokowe officiated by President William Ruto, in an exercise that is part of the national government’s plan to issue 500,000 land ownership documents across the Coast region, in a bid to resolve squatter problems and other land challenges that have affected communities there for decades.
Under the National Land Titling Programme, the President has already issued 31,318 title deeds in Taita Taveta County and 94,175 in Kwale County.
In Kilifi County, 36,826 title deeds have been issued to residents of Kaloleni, Rabai, Ganze, Kilifi South and Malindi constituencies.
The programme forms part of the Ruto administration’s wider effort to resolve historical and administrative land injustices in the Coast region, where disputes and uncertainty over ownership have long been a concern.
Speaking at the event, Lamu East MP Captain Ruweida Obo welcomed the move, saying it advances equitable land ownership across all ethnic communities in the country.
She said securing ancestral land through title deeds would improve the livelihoods of many Lamu landowners, who have been unable to access financial services because they lacked titles.
She urged beneficiaries to use the documents to improve their livelihoods and tap into financial opportunities.
Capt. Obo also commended the national government for bringing the Dangote Oil Refinery to Lamu, describing it as a game changer for youth seeking formal jobs in the industrial sector.
She asked the government to ensure that Lamu youth are given employment opportunities at the facility, saying this would uplift indigenous communities in the county.
She further urged the President to disregard political detractors seeking to derail the project through court action. Last week, activists moved the Environment and Land Court in Malindi seeking to stop the refinery from proceeding until concerns over land compensation and the environment are addressed.
Lamu West MP Stanley Muthama echoed her sentiments, calling on the national government to push ahead and facilitate completion of the refinery within 40 months.
He thanked President Ruto for supporting initiatives that improve residents’ livelihoods and commended the government for implementing development projects in the county.
President Ruto said the Dangote refinery would create jobs, boost businesses and open new economic opportunities for local residents, and assured that the government would continue supporting the investment by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote.
He pointed to affordable housing projects, markets, roads and dams being undertaken in various parts of Lamu.
The President added that the government has set aside more than KSh7.5 billion to build additional affordable housing in the county, which he said would also accommodate workers expected to take up jobs linked to the refinery.
