All the 7,807 beneficiaries of the controversial 930-acre Waitiki farm in Likoni must pay the Sh182,000 for the title deed, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
Despite protest from local leaders and residents that national government should waive that amount of money and allocate the land to the squatters for free, Uhuru stood his grounds and said each of them must pay.
The money, which will carter for the purchasing, survey and planning costs of the land will be paid over a period of three years.
“I have to tell you the truth and not politicking around this matter. The government spent money from the Settlement Trust Fund kitty to pay Waitiki, this money has to be returned,” said Uhuru.
Evanson Kamau, famously known as Waitiki, was the owner of the controversial piece of land.
He signed an agreement with the government on November 18 last year to surrender the piece of land and allow for its sub-division amongst the squatters.
Uhuru said all the leaders are aware of laws that govern the nation, but were out to look for political mileage by asking for a waiver.
Local leaders, led by Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, had pleaded with the President to waive the amount of money saying that many of the squatters were poor hence cannot pay it.
“Mr. President, Mombasa county government is ready to waive the land rates Waitiki owes us, but what we are asking from you is to also waive the Sh182,000 the national government is asking from the Waitiki squatters,” said Joho.
Joho said if it was a must for the squatters to pay, his government was ready to negotiate a deal with the national government to see how they can help the squatters.
MPs Masoud Mwahima (Likoni), Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni), Badi Twalib (Jomvu) and Abduswamad Nassir of Mvita also pleaded with Uhuru to waive that money.
“My people are very poor and Sh182, 000 is just very high for them. You should be considerate and waive away that amount of money,” said Mwahima.
Nassir said: It will be totally unfair if the squatter are given titles today, but after three years we will be taking them to court for defaulting.”
However, Uhuru refused to waive.
He said: “We have an option of either extending that paying period from three years to 12 years, but we cannot waive away that money.”
“This is the best deal I can give you,” said Uhuru.