Lamu, KENYA:Lamu County top officials and leaders have called for prompt investigations and possible cancellation of 11 title deeds belonging to tycoons within Kwasasi village where the Sh 200 billion Coal Fired Power Plant is set to be established.
Lamu County Secretary Osman Siyat and Lamu Deputy Governor Eric Mugo confidently said they are aware of the existence of the 11 titles which add up to over 3000 acres of land within and along the Coal fired Power Plant project lands at Kwasasi.
They vowed to go to court if the matter is not addressed and titles revoked before the projects commence.
The two said they have concrete evidence on the existence of the fake title deeds belonging to known tycoons who are bent on grabbing land around mega projects in the county.
Speaking in Lamu on Monday,the county secretary and the deputy governor Eric Mugo have also accused the National Lands Commission-NLC chair Muhammad Swazuri of trying to sweep the matter under the carpet even after the complaints were presented to him.
Siyat pointed an accusing finger at the NLC saying it had failed to responsibly handle squabbles concerning lands allocated to major national development projects in the county like the LAPSSET and now the coal plant lands.
The leaders have said they are also aware of a cartel of tycoons from the coast and other parts of the country who are grabbing lands from locals around mega development projects.
“We have enough proof that there exists 11 title deeds belonging to individual tycoons at Kwasasi.What we want is for the NLC to explain to the public who owns the lands and how they were acquired.We are aware there is a cartel of tycoons who want to dupe the poor locals of this county and we won’t allow that,atleast not if we can help it,”said Siyat.
They two have also accused Swazuri of making independent decisions concerning land in Lamu without consulting or even informing the leadership and asked him to stop the ‘habit’.
Deputy governor Eric Mugo said the NLC boss had a tendency to conduct secret operations in as far as lands in Lamu are concerned leaving many leaders in the dark.
“Swazuri does not want to sit with or even consult us for solutions on land issues to be arrived at.he comes here secretly and does odd things then leaves.this issue of 11 title deeds has already been presented to him but he seems not to mind and we wish to know why,”said Mugo.
They swore to use the courts to seek justice for their people and protect their lands from invasion by unknown cartels.
