Forward your land complaints to NLC, Kwale Woman MP tells locals

Victims of historical land injustices have been asked to forward their complaints to the National Land Commission (NLC) for investigations and determination.

Kwale Woman Representative Zuleikha Hassan said the residents should take advantage of the opportunity to file their grievances with the commission for investigations and resolutions before the September 21 deadline.

“Any resident who is a victim of land injustice should either submit their complaints to the NLC or come through me, and I will help submit it to the commission,” she said in a statement.

NLC Chairman Gershom Otachi said that the egency has so far  received 740 complaints of land injustices from various parts of the country.

Mr Otachi said that out of the 740 complaints, 395 have been admitted, 340 are under analysis, 126 have been heard and determined while hearing for five claims is ongoing.

He added that Rift Valley, Coast and Central have submitted 360, 114 claims and 101 claims respectively.

Some counties like Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit and Turkana are yet to raise any claims apart from Isiolo which has submitted only one claim.

Speaking to nation.africa, Ms Hassan said that her office was ready to assist those with complaints to reach the commission.

Those with complaints must give details of land being claimed, who caused the historical injustice and attach copies of relevant documents, and any previous attempts to follow up on the issue.

“I have also volunteered to take your complaints to NLC. If you want me to help you, send your complaints and any evidence in my offices or online,” she said.

However, the woman rep has criticized governor Salim Mvurya for keeping mum on issues of community land and ranches.

“The county has been given one and a half years to address the issues. However, to date, Kwale is not among those that have been listed as submitted,” she said, adding that the governor should have submitted a list of those affected as a starting point for finding solutions to the problem.

“But he has not done this and he is quiet about it. It is not my responsibility, but his,” she said, adding that she will start educating the residents about issues of community land.

The hotspot areas within Kwale where community lands are being grabbed are those in Kinango Mwamdudu, Mwereni Group Ranch, Taru, Mwabeja Ranch, Kwa Makonge, Nyari, Panama, Kichakakwaju, Vigurungani Kiranze, Nguzo and Pongwe.

Mr Otachi said the nature of land injustice claims are the same across all the regions and follow specific patterns that relate to colonial displacement, inequitable land acquisition, natural resources conflict, evictions and natural disasters.

He also urged Kenyans and communities with any historical injustices claims to take advantage of the remaining period and raise their claims with NLC offices in their respective counties.

Issues of land injustices have been the top agenda for most politicians looking for votes in the Coast region.

This, however, comes as families still struggle to obtain their land from grabbers, a matter that has also led to the high poverty rates. There are also many whose houses have been demolished and families forced to spend long nights in the cold.

Yusuf Mwongolo, a Kwale resident said that many are living like squatters in their own lands because of the land injustices.

In a most recent case, over 300 families in Mwamdudu were displaced after their houses were demolished at night, including a community school.