President William Ruto has announced plans to issue more than 300,000 title deeds in the Coast region, reviving a government drive to tackle longstanding land ownership disputes in the region. The announcement was made in Taita Taveta on Monday, as Ruto began an eight-day development tour of the Coast. The title deeds are part of the government's response to the Coast's longstanding land question, which Ruto linked to years of disputes, insecurity of tenure, poverty, and residents living as squatters on land they consider their own.
Ruto said the government was committed to addressing historical land problems affecting communities in the region, including residents who have occupied land for years without formal ownership documents. The President made the announcement as he began his tour, which will cover Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, and Lamu. Land ownership is among the key issues on the tour, alongside roads, affordable housing, education, water, energy, and other infrastructure projects.
During the tour, the government has scheduled the issuance of nearly 200,000 title deeds across the six counties. Taita Taveta has been allocated 31,318 titles for beneficiaries in Mwatate and Voi constituencies, while Kwale has the largest allocation at 94,175. Kilifi is set to receive 36,826 titles, while Mombasa has been allocated 4,360. Lamu and Tana River will receive a combined 22,770 titles.
The government has also said some land disputes are being addressed through negotiations with absentee and private landowners, with compensation forming part of the process. The Coast has for decades faced complex land ownership disputes involving historical settlement schemes, absentee landlords, squatters, and residents who have occupied land without formal documentation.
In May, Ruto launched the issuance of more than 33,000 title deeds across the region and said the government had issued 381,000 titles in the Coast since August 2022. He directed the Lands Ministry to complete the surveying of identified parcels within 90 days to pave the way for more than 200,000 additional title deeds. The latest title deed programme therefore forms part of a wider land settlement initiative rather than a new exercise.
The government has linked the issuance of the documents to greater tenure security and the ability of beneficiaries to use their land for development and access financing. Ruto's Coast tour is also focused on major infrastructure and investment projects. In Taita Taveta, he has launched and inspected road, housing, education, and market projects, including the Bura-Mto Mwagodi road, a 385-unit affordable housing project, and new facilities at Wumingu Technical and Vocational College.
The government has also announced plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway from Voi towards the Tanzania border, with about Sh5 billion set aside for the proposed extension. The tour will later move to Lamu, where Ruto is scheduled to preside over the groundbreaking of the proposed multi-billion-shilling East African oil refinery, a project the government says will strengthen energy security and support regional trade.
Key points
- The Kenyan government plans to issue over 300,000 title deeds in the Coast region.
- The title deeds are part of a wider land settlement initiative to address historical land problems.
- The government aims to bring peace to the region by resolving land ownership disputes.
