Kilifi Woman representative Getrude Mbeyu has called on authorities to speed up investigations into the authenticity of the title deed to the 800-acre piece of land in Vipingo, Kilifi County.
The land, which has some sisal plantations, is disputed by the local community and an investor, Centum Investment Company.
Last week, community members invaded the land and erected temporary structures on it claiming the lease to the land had expired.
The veracity of the claim could not be immediately established.
The community members on Tuesday presented a title deed to the land during a meeting with Kilifi county commissioner Josephat Biwot.
On Saturday, Mbeyu told the Star on phone that the longer the verification takes the more tension builds up.
“Inasmuch as we call for patience, the authorities need to make sure it does not take any longer than necessary to verify the documents that need to be verified,” Mbeyu said.
Members of the local community and Centum officials on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a meeting. The MoU now awaits verification by authorities.
Mbeyu said the result of the verification processes will settle the matter adding that she will stand with her people.
“The locals have been living on the land for years. Centum came the other day. It is not likely that they came and found no one on the land,” said the woman rep.
Biwot directed that those who invaded the land on grounds of an expired lease to vacate and give room for an amicable solution.
"The county respects investors. But as much as they do so, they also want justice for the local community to prevail," he said.
Kilifi County is awash with land disputes and one of Governor Gideon Mung’aro’s campaign pledges was to end the disputes and have residents live in harmony.
Lands PS Nixon Korir and the National Land Commission are set to meet over the dispute and come up with the way forward.
Kilifi county has been attracting investors because of the availability of vast lands.
The county government has been aggressively marketing it as an upcoming investment hub with real estate companies rushing to invest there.
