Ruto targets property of absentee landlords

President William Ruto’s government will go after absentee landlords with the aim of purchasing their farms to resettle thousands of squatters in Coast region.

The President said yesterday that money has been allocated in the latest budget estimates to buy land in the expansive Coast region to resettle people. The president also vowed to improve infrastructure in Lamu to develop a Special Economic Zone. 

 “If you look at our budget estimates for June, we have set aside some funds to deal with absentee landlords and ranches, if there is anybody due to be paid will be paid so that we will subdivide the land to squatters. We have a plan and it will be sorted out, because we committed ourselves,” said President Ruto on the third day of his Coast tour.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also delved into the land issue telling Lamu residents not to be shaken by the rogue absentee landlords.

 “I am telling Lamu residents not to be shaken by anyone. This is your county and no one will chase you. All land injustices that have affected you will be addressed. By the time we are leaving office, every coastal resident will be living well,” he said during a prayer service.

 The issue of land injustices dominated much of service with leaders calling on the government to address it with the urgency it deserves.

Absentee landlords

 Woman Rep Muthoni Marubu said the wars being witnessed in Lamu are sponsored by rogue absentee landlords.

 “We have nowhere to call home and it is not fair for us that all those years we are still squatters. Here in Lamu, we don’t have community wars, every tribe co-exists well. However, we have rogue landlords who sponsor conflicts and it’s time now our president revoked their titles and the land is given back to us,” she said.

 In 2015, the National Land Commission ordered absentee landlords to register and prove ownership of the huge swathes of land they own in Coast where landlessness and the squatter problem is most acute in the country. Most failed to show up and the order was extended but still not honoured.

The president announced the release of Sh50 million to support beach management units in Lamu county. The fisherfolk had complained of challenges of landing sites in Lamu and lack of modern equipment.

 He said in the whole programme, the government will spend Sh3.5 billion to operationalise all blue economy projects in all Coast counties.  Part of the money will be used to build fish landing facilities in Mokowe, Kipini, Ngomeni, Kichwa cha Kati, Liwatoni, Likoni, Gazi and Vanga.

Blue economy sector

“We are modernising our fishing, we have allocated Sh3.5 billion to turn around the blue economy sector  in the Coast region, we are developing landing sites to ensure we give facilities to fisher forks and create value addition to fish products  to better their lives,” said President Ruto.

“We want to promise you, we will collaborate with all leaders to do development  projects in the entire Coast region, we agreed that the region is among the areas targeted for mega developments, we must change the Coast with development,” said Ruto.

The president said the security disturbed region must enjoy government development regardless of the political device they voted in last year’s general elections. He said Lamu will be at the center of his administration’s interest because of the investment opportunities it commands.

 The president also announced an allocation of Sh50 million for blue economy scholarships and improved technical colleges in Lamu.

The President reiterated that the ongoing security operation on armed bandits in the North Rift will not top until all firearms in the hands are confiscated.

‘‘We are setting aside  Sh20 billion for our security forces to ensure security is restored in the country, there is an operation ongoing in the North rift, and this time round, no herder will be allowed to carry a gun to look for cattle, they will be forced to use wooden sticks,” said president Ruto.

Somalia administration

The  President also hinted at cooperation with the Somalia administration and front line states in the quest to eradicate terrorists and their illegal activities on Somalia border. The president made the remarks during a church service in Muungano grounds,Mpeketoni, Lamu county.

“We are making a comprehensive plan on how to eradicate terrorism, I was in Somalia and we had talks with the president of Somalia, we must ensure security is paramount for every Kenyan,” said Ruto.

He said he has dispatched Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and his Trade counterpart Moses Kuria to foreign countries to attract investors. He said the government has invested heavily on commercializing and expanding port activities to grow the economy of the country.

“For the last one week I have dispatched my CSs Murkomen and Kuria to Dubai and other areas to look for investments here in Lamu port, because we want to grow our revenues from port investments,” said Ruto.

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