Security Officers Told to Stop Intimidating Kilifi Residents in Rising Land Dispute

Security officers have been warned against harassing residents of Kilifi County who are fighting historical land injustices.

The warning comes in the wake of increased police and National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) intimidations against residents in various parts of the county with the latest being an attempt to evict more than 10,000 residents of Hawewanje, Matolani and Bombi villages in Magarini Sub County on an 8,000 acre piece of land.

Leaders led by Governor Gideon Mung’aro and Kaloleni MP Paul Katana who were on a campaign trail to seek votes for ODM candidate in the Magarini by election Harrison Kombe in the area, urged the ministry of interior officials to keep off land related issues and leave it to counties and the National Land Commission (NLC) arguing that there was no constitutional provision granting police and NGAOs powers to deal with land matters.

“We are not squatters and we will not accept to be termed as squatters on our land and I call upon interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to direct his officers to stop involving themselves in land matters since that is not their mandate and I will call the chairman of NLC Gershom Otachi to visit this area and resolve the land matter,” said.

Jacob Kazungu, a resident of Hawe Wanje said that the purported investor acquired documents of the land using questionable means and hence his license should be revoked.

“I was warned by my area chief that I will be arrested for trying to get justice for my people just because the chief is protecting a land grabber who wants to displace thousands from our land and I’m ready for the arrest if it will bring justice to the people,” said Jacob.

Moses Kazungu on his pa claimed that NGAOs were summoning vocal residents and threatening them with arrests and in many instances, they call for public meetings where elected politicians who are representatives of the people are kept in the dark.

“We don’t want to hold demonstrations but we ae now ready to go for that because it is getting too much since the chiefs are harassing us. I urge the chiefs to work with us or we will frustrate them,” said Moses.

Mohamed Gurachu from Bombi village said that for several years, the Orma pastoralist community had suffered in the hands of security officers over grazing land that investors and the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) lay claim on and several people have been killed while others, including journalists have been seriously injured in the past.

“As pastoralist we want justice and some of the journalists you are seeing here were beaten and injured at Bombi near Galana Kulalu in 2015 for investigating injustices against our community. We urge you Governor Mung’aro to intervene and talk to the president so that we can regain control of our land.