Land invasions more trouble than teen gangs, forum told

Mombasa county commissioner Evans Achoki on January 19 / JOHN CHESOLI

Land invasions are the main source of tension in Mombasa as security officers grapple with evictions, threats of evictions and land-related conflicts.

Tension related to juvenile gangs has declined, county commissioner Evans Achoki has said.

“Gangs like Wakali Kwanza and Wakali Wao are no longer there. We now have a problem of land invasions,” Achoki told a Mombasa county dialogue forum on Tuesday in Shanzu.

However, the civil society groups said juvenile gangs have not disappeared but are less active than during the election period last year.

“The gangs are still there, but their operations have reduced,” Kenya Community Support Centre (Kecosce) executive director Phyllis Muema said.

Civil society organisations have acknowledged that land problems have emerged. They include  Haki Africa, Muslims for Human Rights, Kecosce and Act!. They said land invasions have been linked to tycoons who use “professional squatters” to try and grab land.

Muema said, “Our early warning systems are increasingly picking up land invasions in Kisauni and Jomvu constituencies. If action is not taken, this may trigger violence.”

Achoki warned against buying land from people who fail to produce ownership documents.

“Every land owner must prove ownership of that land. Do not pay money to any agent who does not have the rightful documents of ownership,” the county commissioner said.

Between March and this month, 20 land invasions and conflicts have been reported in Mombasa and parts of Kilifi county bordering Mombasa.

Kisauni leads in the number of invasions, with half of the cases reported happening there.

“This is too high and it is courting violence,” Muema said.

This is followed by Likoni, Jomvu, Changamwe, Nyali and Mvita, where cases are rarely reported.

Security officers emphasise  preventing invasions. Reports indicate unscrupulous brokers are selling private land.

On Tuesday, Achoki said the government will deal ruthlessly with invaders. “The county and the country have land laws that must be obeyed. Only they can allocate land,” he said.

Coast regional police commander Noah Mwivanda has also warned against land invasions.