Tensions rise over 900-acre land in Kisauni

Kisauni politician Mbarak Bashatir / BRIAN OTIENO

Bamburi MCA Patrick Mbelle [in green] at Kashani on Tuesday / BRIAN OTIENO

A dispute over the subdivision of a 900-acre parcel in Kashani, Bamburi, Kisauni Subcounty, has sparked tensions among residents and local leaders amid fears it could disrupt peace in the area.

The land, home to more than 1,000 families, measures about 4,000 acres.

Kisauni politician Mbarak Bashatir has urged calm and dialogue, cautioning that the matter is highly sensitive and could escalate if not handled carefully.

“Pertinent questions must be addressed — does this land have a title deed, and who holds it?” Bashatir said.

He called on political leaders to unite in seeking a peaceful resolution and to support Bamburi MCA Patrick Mbelle, who has been advocating for community involvement in the process.

“There are senior leaders in Kisauni who should step in and help steer this process to a fair conclusion,” Bashatir added.

Court records show the land is claimed by a company that says it purchased the property in 1975.

However, the National Land Commission (NLC) has indicated that some residents were already living on the land before the sale.

The dispute has been in court for decades.

The NLC recently initiated an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, but residents later withdrew, saying they were not adequately represented.

Residents claim they were not consulted in the decision to subdivide the land into 50-by-100-foot plots priced at Sh500,000 each and have demanded that the process be halted until proper public participation is conducted.

“We just heard that subdivision had begun and that we were expected to pay half a million shillings per plot. We were never consulted,” one resident said.

Mbelle said he had seen documents circulating from the NLC and the courts, but had not been officially engaged in the process.

“While I respect the NLC as a constitutional body mandated to address historical injustices, this matter requires utmost caution, inclusivity, and sensitivity,” he said.

He noted that the mediator’s report acknowledged inadequate public participation — a key shortcoming in what he described as a highly sensitive issue.

“The potential repercussions of implementing these recommendations hastily could have far-reaching social and economic consequences for the Kashani community,” he said.

One recommendation proposes allocating 300 acres to “indigenous people,” though residents have questioned how that group would be defined and the source of the land to be allocated.

The NLC also proposed that institutions such as churches, mosques, and schools be issued titles at no cost, while indigenous residents could acquire plots at Sh500,000 each within 90 days, with a possible six-month extension.

Mbelle said many residents cannot afford the amount within the stated period and fear losing their homes if the process proceeds as planned.

“In the spirit of justice and harmony, I urge that the adjudication and subdivision process be temporarily halted to allow for genuine public participation involving all stakeholders,” he said.

Bashatir echoed the call for practical solutions.

“Many residents cannot raise that amount. The government has a Sh1.5 billion fund to help address historical land injustices at the Coast. This is the time to use it,” he said.

He also urged Coast leaders to prioritise protecting residents from displacement and insecurity linked to unresolved land disputes.