Governor Mung'aro Warns Beneficiaries Against Selling Land At Low Prices As Title Deeds Are Issued In Msabaha

By Ben Okweingoti.

Land beneficiaries in Msabaha area, Malindi Sub County in Kilifi County have been cautioned against disposing of their newly acquired land at undervalued prices following the issuance of title deeds to hundreds of residents.

Speaking during the official issuance of the documents to a section of more than 5,000 beneficiaries, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro and Malindi Member of Parliament expressed concern over emerging reports that some families had already entered into sale agreements even before receiving their title deeds.

Governor Mung’aro warned that such transactions could undermine the long-awaited land ownership programme aimed at improving livelihoods and securing community settlement in the region.

He further revealed that a high-level committee comprising governors from Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Lamu, Tana River and Taita Taveta counties, alongside Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Cabinet Secretaries Hassan Joho (Mining) and Salim Mvurya (Sports), had been constituted by President William Ruto. The committee, he said, is tasked with identifying additional land for purchase and facilitating the resettlement of squatters across the Coast region.

“There are a lot of title deeds that have been processed for our people, and I will be going round to distribute them to the beneficiaries. We also have many other parcels of land that we are identifying so that they can be bought and people settled,” Mung’aro said.

Amina, who also addressed the gathering, urged local leaders to strengthen collaboration with the national government in addressing the long-standing squatter problem. She expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation under President Ruto’s administration would accelerate development and provide lasting solutions to landlessness in the region.

“We are going to utilize our good relationship with President Ruto so that we can get more development to our region and resolve the squatter problem for good. It has been a campaign tool for many years but we are very confident Ruto will end that,” she said.

Nominated Member of the County Assembly Betty Kache, on her part, called for unity among families after receiving title deeds, warning against internal conflicts and disputes that often arise over land inheritance.

She cautioned that cases of family feuds, sometimes escalating to violence, have become common due to unauthorized land sales and greed among some relatives.

“Let these title deeds be a unifying factor in our families and let no one sell their land without involving other family members because many families have been torn apart because of greed by some of their members who sell land at throw away prices and leaving the rest of the family suffering,” she said.

The leaders emphasized that the land ownership programme is aimed at restoring dignity, reducing squatter challenges, and promoting long-term stability among coastal communities.