• Residents have flocked to the 930-acre Waitiki farm and Kwa Bhulo since Deputy President William Ruto said the government will buy the two farms to settle over 100,000 squatters.
• Some land dealers were illegally selling off empty spaces at the farm and the 86-acre Kwa Bhulo plot at Bamburi to unsuspecting buyers.
• In October, Mombasa deputy governor Hazel Katana said plans were at advanced stage for the county in collaboration with national government to buy the Waitiki and Kwa Bhulo farms at Likoni.
• Speaking to the Nation in Kwale, Puma ward representative James Dawa vowed to oppose the eviction if it is not stopped.

Thousands of people have invaded two farms in Mombasa after the government announced plans to buy them and settle squatters.

Residents have flocked to the 930-acre Waitiki farm and Kwa Bhulo since Deputy President William Ruto said the government will buy the two farms to settle over 100,000 squatters.

Some of the invaders are building houses and subdividing the properties to plots.

According to Mombasa county commissioner Nelson Marwa, some land dealers were illegally selling off empty spaces at the farm and the 86-acre Kwa Bhulo plot at Bamburi to unsuspecting buyers.

Crackdown

To stop the influx, Mr Marwa has ordered Likoni and Kisauni administrators to prevent new settlers from building and arrest those illegally selling the plots.

“ While the government has plans to buy the Waitiki and Kwa Bhulo farms some people have invaded the farms and are selling plots.

This must end,” he warned.

The commissioner vowed to act against “professional squatters” he accused of marrying many wives so that they could be allocated land in various settlement schemes.

Once the government allocates them land, he added, they sell it and settle in another scheme waiting to be allocated more land.

The county commissioner directed district officers and chiefs to crackdown on the dishonest squatters .

“The squatters marry several wives with the intention of getting land in various parts of the county.

Such squatters must be arrested,” he warned.

At the same time, the county commissioner told landowners to stop forcefully evicting squatters to prevent clashes.

“It is inhuman and unacceptable for some influential individuals to evict people who have been occupying a disputed parcels of land for the last 50 years,” he said.

In October, Mombasa deputy governor Hazel Katana said plans were at advanced stage for the county in collaboration with national government to buy the Waitiki and Kwa Bhulo farms at Likoni.

“The two parcels of land are among those the county has earmarked for acquisition for purposes of settling squatters,” she explained.

In September, the county together with the national government issued 3,400 titles to squatters at Jomvu, Kisauni and Nyali constituencies.

Nyali MP Hezron Awiti called on the government to allocate land whose leaseholds have expired to 32,000 families in the constituency.

At the same time, more than 3,000 families in Puma ward, Kwale County face eviction following a notice issued by a private developer.

They claim the notice was issued to them despite living on the 94-hectare land for almost 60 years.

The developer claiming ownership of the land said he wants to use it to rear animals.

Speaking to the Nation in Kwale, Puma ward representative James Dawa vowed to oppose the eviction if it is not stopped.

“It does not make sense for a person to come from nowhere and claim they own the land.

Where does he expect the people who have been living there to go?” Mr Dawa asked.

He asked the government not to execute the orders.