The government has defended the title deeds issued by President William Ruto to residents of Kwale County, insisting that the documents remain legally valid despite growing complaints over alleged irregularities and disputed land allocations.
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino has now given land officials two months to investigate the complaints, conduct fresh surveys and correct discrepancies affecting beneficiaries, particularly in Lunga Lunga Constituency.
Speaking during a public engagement in Lunga Lunga on Thursday, November 12, Owino acknowledged residents’ concerns over the allocation of land parcels, assuring them that the government was working to resolve the outstanding issues.
Government Responds to Kwale Residents Rejecting Title Deeds
Owino urged residents to retain the title deeds they had received as the government works to address the disputes surrounding the allocations at Lunga Lunga Ranch.
He explained that the land had reverted to the Kwale County Government, which directed the allocation process.
“You want the land to be distributed as it is. But what the president is doing is what the county government did because the land reverted to it. So for now, if you are given the title deed, please keep it,” Owino stated.
The government spokesperson also directed land registry officials to return to the area, conduct a fresh survey and resolve the discrepancies within two months.
He further assured residents that no beneficiary should receive less than five acres, promising that affected allocations would be reviewed.
Why Kwale Residents Rejected Ruto’s Title Deeds
The government’s latest intervention follows protests by residents who rejected some of the title deeds issued during President Ruto’s visit to the Coast.
Some beneficiaries questioned the allocation process, claiming that the parcels reflected in their documents were smaller than the ancestral land they had occupied and cultivated for years.
Residents also raised concerns over documentation, with claims that approximately 75 per cent of those who received allocations had not received their title deeds.
Some original landowners were also reportedly left without documents to prove ownership.
One resident argued that the land had previously been measured under settlement schemes, but the new allocations failed to reflect the sizes of the parcels families had historically occupied.
Residents Raise Questions Over Using Title Deeds to Secure Bank Loans
The dispute has also raised concerns about whether beneficiaries can use the documents to access financial services.
Some residents claimed they had attempted to use their title deeds as security for commercial bank loans but were turned away after financial institutions reportedly questioned the documents’ validity and value.
These complaints have added to pressure on government officials to clarify the status of the allocations and ensure beneficiaries receive documents that accurately reflect their land ownership.
Ruto Issued More Than 94,000 Title Deeds in Kwale
The land dispute emerged months after President William Ruto distributed more than 94,000 title deeds in Kwale County in October as part of the government’s efforts to address longstanding land ownership challenges and squatter issues along the Coast.
The exercise included more than 26,000 title deeds for residents of Lunga Lunga Constituency.
During the distribution exercise, Ruto announced that his administration was targeting the issuance of 500,000 title deeds to beneficiaries across the Coast by the end of 2026.
The latest government intervention now places the focus on whether the promised fresh surveys will resolve the allocation disputes and ensure residents receive the land sizes they say they are entitled to.
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