Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has urged the National Land Commission (NLC), the national government, and the Mombasa County Government to fast-track the implementation of a Senate report addressing long-standing land injustices affecting thousands of coastal residents.
Speaking during a public meeting with residents of the affected areas, Senator Faki said the Senate had adopted a report directing the NLC to accelerate investigations into historical land disputes in Mombasa and ensure that no evictions take place until the government acquires the contested land from private owners.
“The National Land Commission has already stated that there will be no evictions in Mombasa until the government purchases the land. Both the national and county governments must move quickly to buy these parcels and resettle the residents,” he said.
He cited the 2015 Waitiki land settlement in Likoni as an example, noting that a similar approach should be applied to other contested areas where long-term tenants continue to face eviction threats.
The Senate report also recommends that the Mombasa County Government conduct an audit of land subdivisions and title alterations amid claims that some parcels have mysteriously increased in size over time.
“We have cases where land initially measured three acres in 1908 but was re-titled in 2002 as 5.2 acres. The county must investigate these irregularities and ensure affected residents are informed and involved through genuine public participation,” Senator Faki added.
He further called for the establishment of a valuation and rent regulation framework to curb arbitrary rent increases that have left many tenants in arrears and vulnerable to eviction without due process.
“Land rent must be standardized. Landlords cannot increase it at will. If someone defaults, there should be a legal process, a court order, and a bailiff, not demolitions overnight,” he said.
Community representatives, including Rajab Sumba, Abdillahi Farah, Shaman Najib, and Abdulhalim Swaleh, echoed the concerns over illegal subdivisions, title manipulation, and frequent demolitions. They urged the senator to maintain close engagement with affected residents and relevant agencies to monitor the report’s implementation.
“In every part of Mombasa, South, West, North, and Island, residents face the same land problems. We want a joint committee to work with the senator and reach out to the Lands Ministry and Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho to resolve this matter once and for all,” said Sumba.
Farah accused some officials of aiding fraudulent subdivisions that created titles contradicting historical land records, while Najib called for civic education to help residents understand the Senate report and upcoming legal processes.
Senator Faki said his committee will create an implementation matrix to guide the next steps, involving the Ministry of Lands, the NLC, and the county government. Priority will be given to policy and legal reforms defining landlord–tenant relations specific to the Coast region.
“We have given 90 days for follow-up. Many of these issues do not require new funding—only coordination and enforcement,” he said.
The report forms part of a broader Senate initiative to resolve historical land injustices across coastal Kenya, where most urban residents live as tenants on privately owned land without ownership rights despite decades of occupation.
