Kiwayu:Residents of Kiwayu Island in Lamu East are calling on the government to resolve their long-standing land grievances by granting them titles to their ancestral lands. This demand coincides with a parliamentary committee’s investigation into alleged irregular land allocations within the Kiunga Marine National Reserve.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Petitions, along with Lamu East MP Captain Ruweida Obo, visited the island to listen to residents and stakeholders. The visit is part of the committee’s review of Public Petition No. 14 of 2025, which advocates for the recognition and protection of the Kiwayu community’s traditional and cultural rights.
Committee Chairman and Mwatate MP Peter Mbogho emphasized the importance of the visit, stating that it allowed legislators to hear directly from the residents about their concerns over land ownership and management within the protected reserve. Mbogho assured that Parliament would provide guidance once the petition and submissions were reviewed.
The petition, presented by MP Obo on October 9, 2025, highlights the community’s absence of formal land documentation despite their long history on the island. It raises issues regarding 64 land titles allegedly granted within the reserve to outsiders, questioning the process by which these were obtained while local residents remain without ownership rights.
Further concerns in the petition include the potential displacement of residents and harm to cultural heritage sites due to private developments and suspected fraudulent title deeds. The document cites relevant legal frameworks, such as the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act and the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, to argue for the protection of the reserve.
Obo has called for President William Ruto’s intervention, expressing hope that he will address the issue during a national land-titling program planned for December at the Coast. Residents, including Sumira Athman and Mohammed Abdul, have voiced their urgent need for secure land rights to ensure the preservation of their livelihoods and the environment.
