The government needs to take responsibility and act tough if it is to solve the land question at the Coast, a lawyer has said.
Advocate Njora Waweru said the government has to adjudicate land in the region and start taxing idle land. He said taxation of land will immediately free up land that could be used to settle squatters.
“Land is a commercial asset that should not be held without use,” he said. Speaking during a Law Society of Kenya seminar on new land laws on Friday at a Mombasa hotel, Waweru said absentee landlords at the Coast is a major problem that needs to be tackled.
He said some of them live on their own land but do not have title deeds and accused the different governments of failing to solve them.
“The land question within the Coast region is potentially explosive owing to its peculiar historical and legal origins. Inspite of this situation, no efforts have been made by subsequent governments to resolve them,” said Waweru.
Michael Aronson, a lawyer, said settlement schemes initially worked well at the Coast including Gedi and Shimba Hills.
But this was later influenced by authorities in the government. Aronson and Waweru said other more recent settlement schemes have suffered from political and tribal abuse including the Mpeketoni Settlement Scheme.
“It is no secret that only 40% was offered to squatters and 60% was granted to local politicians, councilors, land office staff,” said Aronson. Waweru and Aronson said absentee landlords can easily be dealt with if the administrators of land want to sort the mess.
