By Ben Okweingoti
More than 88 families from Mwanda and Ramisi villages in Kayafungo Ward, Kaloleni Sub-County, Kilifi County, are facing imminent eviction from their land following alleged attempts by land grabbers to dispossess them of a 400-acre parcel.
The residents maintain that they are the legitimate owners of the land, having been issued with title deeds by the government. They accuse the alleged grabbers of colluding with officials at the Ministry of Lands to forge ownership documents in a scheme aimed at forcibly removing them from the property.
The disputed land hosts key public facilities, including schools and dispensaries, raising fears that the planned evictions could disrupt essential government services and negatively impact the wider community.
Speaking at the site of the dispute, residents led by Jimmy Tomboko accused the National Police Service (NPS) of allowing its officers to be used by the alleged grabbers to intimidate locals and destabilize the once-peaceful settlement.
“This land measures over 400 acres, and 88 title deeds have allegedly been revoked without the knowledge of the residents. We are left wondering how powerful these land grabbers are that they can illegally take land that rightfully belongs to us,” Tomboko said.
He further accused the Ministry of Lands of facilitating fraud by altering the original land maps and later permitting the subdivision of the land in favor of the alleged grabbers.
“We have genuine title deeds, yet when we conduct official searches, we are told the records do not exist, despite the titles having been issued by the government,” he added.
One of the affected residents, Mrs. Stella Bahati, said she purchased her land in 2001 from a local resident and was issued with a title deed in 2021 by then Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Gideon Mung’aro, who is now the Kilifi Governor. She expressed shock after being confronted with a rival title deed allegedly issued in 2024.
“I was lawfully issued with a title deed by the government when Mr. Mung’aro was the Lands CAS. It is unbelievable that we are now being threatened with eviction. We demand justice and the prosecution of those behind this land grabbing,” she said.
A deeply emotional account by Mrs. Agatha Mwakidazmbo highlighted the human toll of the dispute. She claimed her only son has been repeatedly threatened, persecuted, and unlawfully detained, forcing her to spend her meagre resources on bail and leaving her destitute.
“The intimidation is unbearable. Even though the courts barred the grabbers from accessing our land, they still come with police officers and dogs to threaten eviction. We will not give up until justice is served,” she said.
Another resident, Maneno Charo, accused the alleged grabbers of openly defying court orders and appealed to Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome and President William Ruto to intervene and resolve the matter.
The residents are now calling for urgent government action to protect their property rights and uphold the rule of law.
