Families on Diani land appeal to Ruto to end injustice
By Shaban Omar, August 1, 2025More than 5,000 families affected by the Diani Complex land dispute in Kwale county are calling on President William Ruto to honour his commitment to end historical land injustices and rampant land grabbing at the Coast.
The families, who have lived on the disputed land for decades, say they continue to live in fear of eviction despite repeated government assurances.
Many of them lack title deeds, making them vulnerable to forced displacement by powerful individuals and private developers claiming ownership of the land.
Led by Hamisi Mwajao the locals said they welcomed the President’s earlier declaration to resolve land conflicts and ensure coastal residents gain rightful ownership of their ancestral land, however, they now want action, not just words.
“We are pleading with the President to intervene and help us get title deeds. We have nowhere else to go. This is the only home we have known,” said Mwajao.
Mwajao said previous regimes had made similar promises but failed to deliver, leaving families stuck in endless court battles and under constant threats.
He said that despite a directive issued by former President Daniel arap Moi in 1979 instructing that the disputed land be returned to the local communities, no government agency has ever implemented the order.
“The late President Moi clearly stated that this land belongs to the people of Diani and should not be taken away from them. But years have passed, and not a single effort has been made to enforce that directive,” he said.
Mwajao wondered whether presidential decrees mean anything if successive governments ignore them.
He said the continued delay in addressing the issue only deepens their mistrust in government institutions.
Mwajao said the land grabbers have continued to violate court orders and the locals constitutional rights without fear.
He urged the Ruto administration to stand by its pledge and provide lasting solutions as well as recognising Moi’s directive.
Juma Amri one of the affected residents also appealed to the National Land Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Lands to fast-track land audits and work closely with the affected communities to identify genuine landowners.
Amri said President Ruto’s declaration to end the squatter crisis at the Coast had rekindled hope among thousands of landless families.
He said for the first time in years, many believed that justice was finally within reach.
However, Amri expressed disappointment over what he termed as “deafening silence” and the sluggish pace in implementing the directive.
Months after the pronouncement, no clear steps have been taken to secure the locals’ land rights or to prevent evictions.
“It’s heartbreaking. The silence is loud. We keep asking ourselves was it just another political promise?” Amri posed.
He said residents expected surveys, title processing, or at the very least, open communication from the authorities but so far, it’s been nothing but waiting.
Amri noted that the continued delays are breeding frustration and anxiety among the community who have nowhere else to go.
He urged the government to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves, saying land is not just property but a matter of identity, dignity, and survival for the affected families.
“We want justice. We want to own the land we have lived on for generations. The President gave us his word, and now we are asking him to make good on it,” he said.
Amri said that the community supports President Ruto’s leadership and appreciates the promises he made to address historical injustices.
He said many locals are willing to rally behind the President for a second term, but only if he proves his commitment to their plight.
“We are not against the government. In fact, most of us voted for President Ruto because he spoke directly to our struggles. We believed in his bottom-up approach and his pledge to resolve the land issue once and for all,” said Amri.
Another Diani complex affected victim Mwanamisi Mwachanyuma said that Kwale residents are not asking for favors, but for justice and recognition of their rightful claim to the land they have occupied for generations.
She said if the president fulfills his promise and helps them get their land rights, they will stand with him not just now, but forever.
Mwachanyuma said the people are tired of empty promises from successive governments.
She noted that residents have spent a lifetime fighting land injustices, moving from one government office to another, attending endless meetings and court hearings, yet they still remain squatters on land they’ve called home for generations.
“For years, we’ve been struggling to prove that this land is ours. We have buried our loved ones here, raised our children here, yet we are treated like strangers,” said Mwachanyuma.
She added that it is time for the government to deliver justice and allow Kwale people to live in peace and dignity.
Mwachanyuma appealed directly to President Ruto, urging him to make history by being the first Head of State to decisively end land injustices at the Coast.