President William Ruto has announced a fresh push to formalise land ownership in Kenya’s Coast region, saying more than 300,000 title deeds are expected to be issued as part of efforts to address longstanding disputes.
Speaking in Taita Taveta on Monday, Ruto said the programme was intended to give residents greater security over land they have occupied for years.
“I told you we have the land answer, and this is part of the land answer,” Ruto said.
The announcement came during an eight-day tour of the Coast, covering Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River and Lamu.
Nearly 200,000 titles scheduled during tour
Government plans released ahead of the tour show that nearly 200,000 title deeds are scheduled for distribution across the six counties.
Kwale has the largest allocation, with 94,175 titles. Taita Taveta is set to receive 31,318, while Kilifi has 36,826.
Mombasa has been allocated 4,360 titles, with another 22,770 earmarked for Lamu and Tana River. The listed allocations add up to 189,449.
The figures point to a distinction between the wider title-deed programme cited by Ruto and the specific distributions scheduled during the current tour.
Land disputes remain a longstanding Coast issue
Land ownership has remained a sensitive issue along the Coast, with disputes involving historical settlement schemes, squatters and people who have occupied land without formal documentation.
The government says issuing title deeds will give beneficiaries formal ownership and make it easier for them to develop their property or use it to access financing.
In a statement earlier this year, the presidency said government efforts to settle squatters and resolve historical land matters could benefit more than 200,000 households across the region.
Development projects accompany land programme
The title-deed exercise is one part of Ruto’s wider Coast tour, which also includes roads, affordable housing, education, water and energy projects.
In Taita Taveta, the President has launched and inspected several projects, including road works, an affordable housing development and facilities at Wumingu Technical and Vocational College.
The tour is also expected to culminate in Lamu, where Ruto is scheduled to preside over the groundbreaking of the proposed East African Oil Refinery. The government has described the project as a major investment in energy and regional trade.
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