Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has pledged that the government will continue issuing land title deeds to millions of coastal residents who have lived for decades without formal ownership documents.
Kindiki said the ongoing issuance of title deeds was part of efforts to resolve historical land challenges and address years of marginalisation that had hindered development in the coastal region.
He described land ownership documents as essential in restoring the dignity of residents who have struggled to secure legal recognition of their property rights.
“For a long time, the coastal people suffered because of neglect. Their plight has been ignored for many years. Residents in Kwale and the coastal counties have lived without title deeds for their land. Today, I'm happy to see they have received their title deeds and are assured of better lives ahead,” he said.
The Deputy President spoke on Wednesday when he issued title deeds to 20,000 residents of Kalalani in Kinango Constituency, Kwale County.
The beneficiaries are among hundreds of thousands of residents who have received title deeds since President William Ruto assumed office in 2022.
Recently, Ruto issued more than 300,000 title deeds to residents during a development tour of the coastal region.
Kindiki said the issuance of the documents fulfilled a key campaign promise to address longstanding land ownership challenges that had affected communities in the region since independence.
“When we campaigned, we promised to deal with the title deeds and other land issues in the Coast. I am not ashamed today to say we have fulfilled this promise. That is why we are asking you to support President Ruto's re-election,” he said.
He urged residents with outstanding land-related concerns to present them to the government, promising that the issues would be addressed expeditiously.
The Deputy President said the administration would maintain its focus on the coastal region as part of a broader strategy to eliminate historical inequalities in resource allocation and infrastructure development.
“This government has made a firm decision that the era of neglect and discrimination is over. We are doing everything possible to develop every part of the country and the coastal region will never be neglected again,” he said.
Kindiki cited ongoing infrastructure investments in Kwale, including the construction of 294 kilometres of roads at a cost of Sh17.2 billion.
He said the projects were being expedited to improve connectivity and open up the county for economic activities.
The county has also received Sh1.8 billion to connect 15,300 households to electricity, alongside investments in modern markets, affordable housing and student hostels.
The Deputy President further said construction of the Mwache Dam, which is expected to benefit residents of Kwale and Mombasa counties, was nearing completion.
He attributed the development projects to the government's commitment to equitable resource distribution, arguing that every region should benefit from national development programmes.
“We are strongly in support of equitable development. I stand here to tell you that there is no other President who has stood firmly in favour of national unity and nationwide development. He has directed that every part of this country must be developed and it is what is happening now and going forward,” Kindiki said.
He also urged residents not to support political leaders advocating division and marginalisation, claiming that opposition to Ruto was partly driven by the President's push for equal development across the country.
The Deputy President was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and Creative Economy Salim Mvurya, Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani, Kinango MP Gonzi Rai, Msambweni MP Feisal Abdallah, Matuga MP Tandaza Kassim, Ganze MP Kenneth Kazungu and Taveta MP John Bwire, among other leaders.