Tension as squatters take over ADC land in Kilifi

Tension is looming at the 900-acre Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farm in Kisiwani in Sabaki, Kilifi County, after about 300 squatters invaded and sub-divided it for themselves.

Led by area MCA Edward Kazungu Delle, the squatters resolved to repossess their ancestral land from ‘tycoons’ who they said colluded with the ADC ranch management to grab the land.

“Today marks the end of our tribulations, we are sharing the land since efforts to seek the intervention from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), National Land Commission, the Director of Public prosecution (DPP) has fallen on deaf ears,” he said.

The Malindi Water and Sewerage Company (Mawasco) has already bought 25 acres of the land at Sh40 million to construct housing pension scheme for company staff and county government.

Mawasco managing director Gerald Mwambire Monday dismissed the claims that he is one of the people behind a scheme to grab ADC land saying they acquired the land legally.

Mr Mwambire later showed some documents indicating the firm was cleared by the NLC's former chairman Muhammad Swazuri on October 2, 2014 to acquire the land from Teber Limited.

Due diligence

“As per the NLC the land, which was originally owned by ADC, had been acquired by Lands Limited before selling it to Teber Limited,” he said adding that “due diligence was followed to acquire the land that involved the County government of Kilifi.”

Mr Mwambire further said squatters who used to live at the said land were compensated Sh2.5 million and they have no problem with the project which would comprise modern housing, roads, petrol station, and schools.

On Monday, the squatters armed themselves with jembes, pangas and twigs to share the land and carried out traditional Mijikenda rituals to remember the dead on the said land.

They also demarcated for themselves portions of land, lit bonfires and barricaded the busy Malindi-Lamu highway to demand justice in the event that lasted for about an hour and left before the police arrived.

Sabaki Residents Association Secretary-General Stembo Kaviha said the 27,000 squatters at the controversial land have enough evidence that the land has been grabbed by people from the ‘Rift Valley region.’

“We are bitter like snakes since most of the time we have tried to seek help from the government to stop the grabbing but it is in vain,” he said adding “nobody was compensated to pave way for the project.”

The area MCA accused the government for failing to address their woes on reason that they are “helpless coast residents who have been down looked upon.”

“President Uhuru Kenyatta is on the forefront in the fight against corruption and the issue of grabbing public land should not be down looked,” said Mr Delle adding “ADC ranch management should be investigated on corruption allegations.”