Land ownership remains a highly sensitive and unresolved issue in Taita Taveta County, with the government facing heavy criticism for failing to deliver a lasting solution despite decades of political promises.
Speaking in an interview with Sifa FM, Wundanyi Member of Parliament (MP) Danson Mwashako expressed deep concern over the persistent land tenure insecurity in the region. He noted that many residents continue to live in constant fear of eviction from their ancestral lands.
“We keep talking about people being issued with title deeds, but the truth on the ground is that our people are living in absolute fear of having their homes flattened,” Mwashako said. “We have witnessed forced demolitions in Taveta, Voi, and even Mwatate, which only proves that the government is not genuinely committed to resolving this historical crisis.”
The lawmaker raised a red flag over what he termed as an influx of outsiders entering the county armed with title deeds, allegedly with the intention of grabbing land belonging to local communities.
“It is deeply disheartening to see individuals traveling all the way from Nairobi, arriving here armed with ownership documents for parcels of land they cannot even physically locate on the ground,” Mwashako lamented.
However, Mwashako clarified that his stance is not anti-development, emphasizing that genuine investors who hold valid land documents, utilize their land productively, and create employment opportunities for locals will always be welcomed and supported.
“Anyone who holds valid ownership documents, runs a legitimate enterprise, and creates employment opportunities for our local youth is warmly welcomed to invest here. But if you are coming to Taita Taveta with the sole intention of stealing ancestral land, we will not tolerate it,” the MP warned.
The two-term legislator, who has officially declared his interest in the Taita Taveta gubernatorial seat in the next general election, pledged to make land protection a cornerstone of his leadership.
Mwashako vowed that, if elected governor, he would fiercely safeguard the county’s natural resources and ancestral lands, stating he would never be compromised into issuing land titles to outsiders or exploitative investors at the expense of locals.
“As a leader, I will never accept or be compromised to hand over ancestral land ownership to outsiders or malicious investors. Our priority must be protecting the rights of the Taita Taveta people,” Mwashako declared.
Mwashako’s remarks come barely a month after President William Ruto visited the Coast region and distributed over 33,000 title deeds to residents, including beneficiaries in Taita Taveta County.
During the launch, the Head of State characterized the mass issuance of titles as a critical step in the government’s broader plan to resolve historical land disputes and legally empower local landowners.
Among the areas targeted in the county was the Ronge Juu adjudication section, with the President pledging that the government would issue an additional 200,000 title deeds across the region in the near future to bring a permanent end to the squatter problem.
