Ruto: Land issue at Coast will no longer be a campaign agenda

President William Ruto and Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs during a thanksgiving service in Ganze, Kilifi County/PCS

President William Ruto has assured residents of the Coast region that the long-standing land injustices will soon stop being a campaign issue in every electoral cycle. 

Speaking during a thanksgiving service for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs in Ganze, Kilifi County, the President said his administration had already put in place measures aimed at ending historical land disputes and absentee landlord problems.

“The big land question in the Coast now has an answer. We have come together and we are going to sort out this challenge,” Ruto said.

The President declared that politicians would no longer use the land question as a campaign tool once the government completes its intervention plans.

“If there will be politics in the coming days, politicians should look for another topic. Those doing politics should look for another agenda because the land issue will be sorted,” he stated.

Ruto said solving the squatter problem would unlock economic growth and stability in the Coast region by enabling residents to invest confidently in their land without fear of eviction.

“Citizens must live with certainty. They must plan knowing this is their land. If they continue to be squatters, they cannot invest because all the time they are worried about the future,” he said.

According to the President, the uncertainty surrounding land ownership has undermined development and investments in the region for many years.

“We must sort out this challenge once and for all. We cannot continue to speak about squatters. We have what it takes to solve this problem,” he added.

Ruto further revealed that the government would intensify efforts to address the issue of absentee landlords, saying his administration plans to purchase land from absentee owners and redistribute it to local residents.

“In the next 90 days, we will be targeting absentee landlords. We will bring it to an end. We will buy the land from the absentee landlords and I want that to be done within 90 days,” the President said.

The Head of State also announced plans to issue more title deeds to residents across the Coast region, saying land ownership documents were critical in restoring dignity and economic freedom to families living as squatters.

“I will come back to give 200,000 land title deeds for people who are currently squatters,” Ruto said.

He noted that the government had already issued 33,000 title deeds recently as part of the ongoing land reforms programme.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Mining CS Hassan Joho, Sports CS Salim Mvurya, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir attended the event among other leaders.