Mombasa: Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has called on the government to prioritise Mombasa County in the Sh2 billion allocated for purchasing land from absentee landlords to resettle squatters. He highlighted the potential of these funds to resolve the region’s long-standing land injustices.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Senate Lands, Environment and Natural Resources Committee Chairperson also urged the government to increase the allocation, noting that the Sh2 billion set aside in the 2025/2026 Financial Year is insufficient to address widespread land issues along the Coast. The Head of State had tasked Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Cabinet Secretaries Alice Wahome (Lands), Hassan Joho (Mining) and Salim Mvurya (Sports) to identify and vet genuine absentee landlords for compensation.
The County Government of Mombasa unveiled a plan to address historical land injustices by operationalising the Ardhi Fund, with Sh50 million allocated in the 2025/2026 Financial Year, aimed at securing land ownership and ending perennial evictions. Senator Faki expressed the desire for the Sh2 billion to be directed to Mombasa to alleviate the land problem, with assurances that those not benefiting in the current phase would be considered in the future.
On Friday, Senator Faki submitted the Report of a petition filed by the Kenya Land Alliance to the Senate regarding historical land injustices in Mombasa. The Senate Report recommended that the National Land Commission (NLC) expedite its Report and that the County and National Governments purchase and subdivide the land in compliance with the law.
Senator Faki assured residents that there will be no evictions in Mombasa as the government plans to buy off disputed plots. He specifically mentioned the allocation of 300 acres in Kashani, Kisauni, for local squatters and urged the NLC to ensure fair settlement.
Nagib Shamsan, Chairman of the Kenya Land Alliance, welcomed the Report and urged the NLC and the County Government to implement the Senate’s recommendations. He emphasized the importance of improving tenure for inherited homes and called for calm among residents.
Meanwhile, Senator Faki addressed the ongoing conflict between the Mombasa County Assembly and the County Executive, advocating for mutual respect between both arms of government. His comments followed a recent disruption in the Assembly’s committee on land proceedings, which escalated into confrontations.
Citing Makueni County’s past conflict as a cautionary tale, Senator Faki called for the resolution of differences to prevent a governance crisis. He stressed the importance of focusing on pressing issues, such as the investigation into a 17 billion waste management tender awarded to a Ghanaian firm.