Two self-help groups are accusing a tycoon of grabbing their 108 acres of land at Kinondo ward in Msambweni, Kwale county.

Palm Women and Mapema Self Help groups say they own the land.

“In 2020, we bought the land through our savings as part of the group’s assets and before we did the transactions with the land owner, we did all the search at the Land Registry and it was genuine. Two years later, someone claims ownership,” said Fatuma Makori, the chairperson of Palm Women Group.

Bank loan

Makori said the groups had even taken a bank loan using the title deed.

 She accused the man of fencing off the land, thus denying them access to their crops.

“He has already fenced the whole 108 acres and we are not allowed to access our land,” Makori said.

Morris Achoki, the chairperson of Mapema Self Help group, claimed that their ten acres had been grabbed by the tycoon.

“This tycoon has taken away ten acres of land from us which we bought in 2015. We were neighbouring Palm Women Group,” he said.

Achoki demanded that  the man meets the two groups and the community to resolve the matter.

“ We want him to explain when he bought the land and from whom,” he said.

Riziki Juma claimed they had been left homeless after his family’s five acres of land was also taken away.

“My father is the owner of five acres that the tycoon has fenced off,” he said.