President William Ruto has launched an eight-day development tour covering six Coast counties, focusing on land, infrastructure, and investment. The tour aims to showcase the administration's development record while engaging local leaders and residents. Ruto's sustained visits to the region, which has traditionally leaned towards the opposition, point to a political push targeting historically marginalised areas ahead of the 2027 election.
The President has announced plans to issue nearly 300,000 title deeds during the tour, as part of a wider programme targeting 500,000 titles for the Coast by December. This move directly addresses one of the region's longest-running grievances. More than 36,000 residents in Kilifi North, Rabai, Ganze, Kilifi South, and Malindi have already received title deeds. Ruto stated that the 300,000 titles to be given out and the 200,000 to be issued before December are answers to the problems that have contributed to poverty in the region.
The government has allocated title deeds to various counties, with Kwale receiving the largest allocation of 94,175 titles for residents of Lunga Lunga, Msambweni, and Kinango constituencies. Kilifi has been allocated 36,826 titles, Taita Taveta 31,318, and Mombasa 4,360. Lamu and Tana River have a combined allocation of 22,770. The President has linked the land programme to major investments, including the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, Mwache Dam, and roads intended to improve connectivity between coastal counties and the rest of the country.
On Tuesday, Ruto launched the Sh2.2 trillion East Africa Petroleum Refinery project in Lamu, promising the investment would create jobs and business opportunities for residents. The refinery, to be constructed by business mogul Aliko Dangote, is among several major investments the President is presenting as part of efforts to transform the Coast into an energy and logistics hub. The project is expected to supply petroleum products to Kenya and other East and Central African markets.
The Lamu refinery project has been touted as a major boost to the region's economy, with Dangote stating that the refinery would prioritise residents in employment and training, including through a school expected to train 1,000 people. The President's Coast strategy has also been reinforced by the backing of influential regional politicians, including Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Mining CS Hassan Joho, and Sports CS Salim Mvurya.
Kingi stated that the region would reciprocate the government's development efforts in the 2027 elections, saying Ruto is the only leader with an agenda to develop the Coast region. Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir welcomed the issuance of title deeds but said the exercise should be viewed as part of a wider effort to resolve historical land problems. Nassir noted that thousands of Mombasa families have lived on land they called home without title deeds, highlighting the need for a comprehensive solution.
The President's approach to the Coast is part of a wider effort to consolidate support in regions that have historically felt excluded from the centre of government. By combining land ownership, infrastructure, and large-scale investments, Ruto is seeking to present his administration as one capable of addressing long-standing grievances while opening new economic opportunities. The six Coast counties had 1,964,224 registered voters in the 2022 general election, with Raila Odinga winning 649,913 votes against Ruto's 336,478.
Key points
- President Ruto is issuing title deeds to residents in the Coast region as part of a wider programme to address historical land problems.
- The President has launched several major investments, including the Sh2.2 trillion East Africa Petroleum Refinery project, to transform the Coast into an energy and logistics hub.
- Influential regional politicians, including Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, have backed Ruto's Coast strategy, saying the region will reciprocate the government's development efforts in the 2027 elections.
