Lamu, KENYA: Lamu senator Anwar Loitiptip has said he will unveil names of 20 individuals who re-grabbed the over 350,000 acres of land whose ownership was revoked by the National Lands Commission-NLC in 2015 in a week’s time.
The lands were revoked after they were found to have been irregularly acquired and handed over to the county government of Lamu for administration.
However,according to Loitiptip,what many do not know is that the lands were secretly and quietly re-grabbed by the same individuals.
Anwar says he will also unveil a list of yet another 10 individuals who are run a cartel that supplies Lamu with drugs and has been frustrating efforts to win the war on drugs in the region.
Speaking in Lamu on Monday,Loitiptip said the names consists of security bosses in Lamu, politicians, tycoons, chiefs and even Nyumba Kumi administrators whom he said were notorious for ring leaders in matters land grabbing in the county.
“I have more than 20 names of land grabbers and more so those who re-grabbed the 350,000 acres that was revoked back in 2015.I also have more than 10 names of drug cartels who have ensured the war on drugs is totally frustrated.They are powerful individuals,respected even.I shall make the big reveal in the next seven days in Lamu with the hope that action will be taken.I have enough proof to back up all that,” said Loitiptip.
A county official in the lands department who refused to be named confirmed that the over 350,000 acres of land that were revoked by the national government in 2015 were re-grabbed shortly after.
“The owners of those lands that had been proved to have been irregularly acquired secretly took over the lands shortly after the announcement that they had been reclaimed and given to the county government.Its more like nothing really happened to change their ownership of the lands.They colluded with officials here in the lands office and even politicians to make it happen.As we speak,not a single acre hasn’t been re-grabbed,” said the officer.
Lamu county continues to face massive historical land issues top among them being land grabbing considering the fact that over 60% of lands are yet to be surveyed and owners issued with title deeds.
The situation has made land grabbing easy for tycoons and other interested persons and in the process adding to the already bloated population of squatters in the county.
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