Coast Regional Commissioner Nelson Marwa at a past media briefing. [Photo/ citizentv.co.ke]
Coast Regional Commissioner Nelson Marwa has warned against land grabbing in Mombasa.
Marwa said suspected cases of land grabbing will be investigated and culprits probed, arrested, charged and grabbed land repossessed.
“I am told there is a businessman here who wants to grab every piece of public land,” he said on Saturday at a press conference in Mombasa.
“He wants to grab land belonging to schools, cemeteries and hospitals. How do you grab cemetery land? Where does he want to take remains of those buried there? All public land in Mombasa will be secured,” he added.
He said the national and county governments will work in collaboration to fence off all public land in the county.
“If you’re a land grabber, know your days are numbered,” Marwa said.
He spoke a few days after Nyali residents demonstrated against alleged grabbing of the Makaburini cemetery.
Local rights activist Mwadime Kisaka led the protestors in denouncing a businessman who he said possessed a fake title deed claiming he had bought a section of the Makaburini cemetery land from the county government. The cemetery is in Nyali.
Mwadime said the cemetery land was public property and claims of ownership by the businessman were false. The protestors said attempts to grab the land they know has since time immemorial been used for “resting” their kin will not succeed.
“He has been coming here at night. If he is sure he is the rightful owner of the land why doesn’t he come at day time?” Mwadime asked.
“We are aware of his machinations and we know all the people he deals with. We will not allow this land to be grabbed.”
Mwadime said records at the Mombasa Lands department indicate the contested plot is public property.
Nyali MP Hezron Awiti said he won’t allow public property to be taken away.
“This is the third time he is coming here. I have already verified records at the county government. Makaburibi land is a graveyard and not an individual’s property.”