Victims of historical land injustices led by Juma Amri at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga sub-county, Kwale County in March 2025.
BY SHABAN OMAR
Kwale residents affected by historical land injustices are finally seeing a glimmer of hope as the National Land Commission (NLC) moves to address long-standing disputes that have left many homeless.
Victims of land injustices, such as Hamisi Juma Mwajao, said they have fought for land rights for decades with little success.
Mwajao, a claimant in the contested Diani Complex Scheme, revealed that their struggle dates back to 1972.
However, with the NLC now handling the matter, he believes they are closer than ever to reclaiming their ancestral land.
“This has been our dream. We now have hope after years of intimidation, torture, and assaults,” he said.
Mwajao added that fraudulent title deeds must be revoked, and a fresh land allocation process initiated to ensure rightful ownership.
Victim of land injustices Hamisi Mwajao at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga Sub-County, Kwale County in March 2025.
Juma Amri, another affected resident, expressed optimism that justice would soon be served, commending the government’s renewed efforts in addressing land injustices.
Rashid Mwadume, meanwhile, lamented how land disputes have displaced families and led to the illegal grabbing of cultural sites.
He urged the NLC to ensure a fair resolution so that residents can restore their livelihoods.
The NLC has set up camp at the Kwale Cultural Center in Matuga to conduct hearings and fact-finding missions as part of its commitment to resolving the disputes.
At least 198 cases have been filed, with 30 meeting the Commission’s admissibility criteria.
Some of the most contested parcels include the Diani Complex Scheme, Block 10, and Block 17, covering approximately 962 acres from Tiwi to Diani.
Other disputed areas include Kichaka Mkwaju, Kaya Waa, Ramisi, and Nyari.
NLC Historical Land Injustices Committee Chairperson Prof. James Tuitoek assured the public that all cases would be handled with fairness and transparency.
“We will not issue a report until we have heard both parties because we do not want to create new injustices. However, by the end of this year, we will likely have made a determination,” he said.
Tuitoek noted that while some disputes would be resolved quickly, others might take longer due to their complexity.
NLC Historical Land Injustices Committee Chairperson Prof. James Tuitoek speaks in an interview in Kwale County in March 2025.
He urged claimants and any aggrieved parties to provide sufficient evidence to support their cases for effective and fair determination.
County Attorney Salim Gombeni praised the Commission’s intervention, saying it was a crucial step toward ending land injustices that have plagued Kwale for generations.
“People have suffered for too long as private developers continue to grab ancestral land,” he said
He also stressed that those who acquired land fraudulently must be held accountable, and fake title deeds revoked.
County Attorney Salim Gombeni at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga sub-county, Kwale County in March 2025.
Gombeni said the county and Kwale residents remain hopeful that the process will finally bring justice and restore locals’ rights to the land they have fought for over the years.
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