Salt processors halt expansion plans in row over land ownership
Workers at the Kensalt mines in Magarini, Kilifi. PHOTO | FILE
Troubled salt firms in Marereni area of Kilifi County have been ordered to put on hold their expansion plans until the National Land Commission (NLC) gives its verdict on the local community’s protest against encroachment on surrounding parcels of land.
The NLC Chairman, Muhammad Swazuri, says there have been land ownership disputes between the locals and the salt firm owners stretching back over 30 years now.
Prof Swazuri says the local people claim that the salt companies which include Kilifi Salt, Kensalt, Kurawa Salt and Kaysalt (Crystalline Salt) have encroached on their ancestral land. Over 20,000 people, the locals claim, have since been forcefully evicted from the salt mine areas.
“As a result there have been skirmishes between these two groups, the investors and the locals. We have ordered the salt manufactures to comply until we make a determination on May 30,” said Prof Swazuri in an interview.
The Land Commission has advised the County Commissioner of Kilifi to implement the directive.
Kaysalt’s Financial Controller, Sanjeev Modi, said he was not aware of the directive. Prof Swazuri says that the area residents accuse the salt manufacturers of forceful entry into their ancestral land which borders the Indian Ocean, denying them access to fishing areas.
He said that there have been a lot of communication and dialogue between the two parties, with the last engagement being held last February.
The Commission has also been to the grounds with surveyors to ascertain ownership of the land for which the manufacturers hold title deeds.
Questionable title deeds
“But while some of the salt manufacturers are rightful owners others have questionable title deeds. The locals have no titles — they are just claiming ancestral rites,” he said.
Some of the evidence the locals have are the old graves, which are in the salt mines or old structures.
Prof Swazuri said that NLC has a way of ascertaining ancestral land rights. If it is fully ascertained that the salt manufacturers are the rightful land owners then they have to accommodate the people or “something be done to their titles”.
“There has to be a solution because the two groups, under the Constitution, have to co-exist,” he said.
Human rights activist Phyllis Omido, who has been on the frontline fighting the salt manufacturers and lead poisoning in Owino Uhuru slum area in Mombasa, said that resolution of the conflict is long overdue.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
