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The government has moved to quell tension in Vipingo Sisal Plantation in  Kilifi after thousands of squatters invaded a parcel of disputed land.

A multi-sectoral team comprising national and county government officers and community has been set up to restore peace.

The committee, which will be chaired by Kilifi County Commissioner Josphat Biwott seeks to establish the whereabouts of title deeds of the 800 acres of the land, whose lease had expired.

Speaking to the media after meeting representatives of the squatters yesterday, Biwott said the government is committed to addressing the matter once and for all.

“This matter has been here for quite some time now. We want to establish where these titles are and investigate all the other titles in that disputed area. The residents have a genuine concern. If the government gave the land for squatters to be resettled I don’t know where these other things are coming from,” Biwott noted. He called on the squatters to leave the land as they look for a permanent solution.

“These people have a genuine title deed issued by the government. The other people who claim to own the land have not contested the title in court. The ministry should be able to shed light on any anomaly on the title,” he added.

Chasimba Ward Rep Kazungu Mbura and his Junju counterpart Said Juma applauded the commissioner’s move to bring all parties on board to address the matter within the next two weeks.

“Our title deed is genuine and we followed the correct procedure to acquire it. We are ready to cooperate with the government to make sure we address this matter in an amicable manner,” Mbura said.

Community will be represented by the Bambani and Mjuma community-based organisations.

Bambani/Mjuma CBO spokesperson Wycliff Mwangome narrated how the community secured the title deed.

He said the residents were waiting for the subdivision of the land but had to invade it after one of the parties placed an obstruction on their title.