Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has called on the National Land Commission (NLC), the national government, and the Mombasa County Government to expedite the implementation of recommendations contained in a Senate report addressing persistent land injustices affecting thousands of coastal residents.
Speaking during a public meeting with residents of Kisauni, Shika Adabu, Majengo Ziwani, Sparki, and other affected areas, Senator Faki said the Senate had adopted a report directing the NLC to hasten its investigations into historical land injustices in Mombasa and ensure no evictions take place until the government purchases the disputed land from private owners.
“The National Land Commission has already stated that there will be no evictions in Mombasa until the government acquires the land. Both the national and county governments must move fast to buy these parcels and resettle the residents,” said Senator Faki.
He cited the 2015 Waitiki land settlement in Likoni as a precedent, noting that the same approach should be applied to other contested parcels where long-term tenants continue to face threats of eviction.
The Senate report further recommends that the Mombasa County Government conduct an audit of land subdivisions and title alterations, following claims that some parcels have mysteriously increased in size over time.
“We have cases where land initially measured three acres in 1908 but was re-titled in 2002 showing 5.2 acres. The county must investigate such irregularities and ensure affected residents are informed and involved through genuine public participation,” Senator Faki added.
He also called for the formulation of a valuation and rent regulation framework to address arbitrary increases in land rent that have left many tenants in arrears and facing eviction without proper legal process.
“Land rent must be standardized. Landlords cannot keep increasing it at will. If someone defaults, there should be a legal process, a court order and a bailiff, not demolitions overnight,” he said.
Community representatives, including Rajab Sumba, Abdillahi Farah, Shamsan Najib, and Abdulhalim Swaleh, echoed concerns over illegal subdivisions, title manipulation, and frequent demolitions. They urged the senator to ensure continued engagement with affected residents and relevant agencies to follow up on the report’s implementation.
“In every part of Mombasa, South, West, North, and Island, residents face the same land problems. We want a joint committee to work with the senator and reach out to the Lands Ministry and Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho to address this matter once and for all,” said Sumba.
Farah accused some officials of facilitating fraudulent subdivisions, creating new titles that contradict archival land records, while Najib called for civic education to help residents understand the Senate report and the legal steps ahead.
Senator Faki said his committee will develop an implementation matrix to guide the next phase of action, involving the Ministry of Lands, NLC, and the county government, with priority given to policy and legal reforms defining landlord, tenant relationships unique to the Coast region.
“We have given 90 days for follow-up. Many of these issues do not require new funding, only coordination and enforcement,” he said.
The report is part of a broader Senate effort to address historical land injustices in coastal Kenya, where most urban residents live as tenants on privately owned land without ownership rights despite decades of occupation.