The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully reclaimed 31 acres of land, valued at Ksh 1.2 billion, from private developers on Kwale’s Chale Island. The island which holds historical and cultural significance, serving as a marine reserve and national monument, and it has now been restored to the public.
Twalib Mbarak, the CEO of EACC, made a statement during a visit to the Kaya Shrines on the Island, revealing that this land was initially acquired through collusion between public officials and private developers. It was falsely categorized as a squatter settlement scheme. Subsequently, the land was divided into 49 parcels and allocated to fictitious squatters, who later sold it to private developers.
In a landmark ruling on October 2, 2023, Lady Justice Addreya Dena of the Kwale Environment and Land Court declared all transactions leading to these illegal land transfers null and void. She instructed the Kwale District Land Registrar to remove all illicit entries from the Register.
Mbarak cautioned against any attempts to re-appropriate the Island, emphasizing the persisting issue of corrupt public officials collaborating with new individuals to fraudulently reassign public assets recovered by EACC.
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The restoration of Chale Island to the Kwale community is not only a legal victory but also a cultural revival. The return of the Kaya shrines to the Kwale community allows them to reconnect with their cultural heritage. Moreover, Chale Island will continue to be preserved as a marine national reserve under the Kenya Wildlife Service.
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Governor Fatuma Achani and Senator Issa Boy of Kwale, who accompanied Mbarak during the visit, commended this recovery as a significant step in addressing the problem of land-grabbing in the coastal region.
