MCA Among Five Arrested While Protesting at Governor’s Office in Mombasa
Shanzu Ward MCA, Allen Rodgers Katana, was arrested on Monday together with five other activists in Mombasa after they staged a march towards Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir’s office.
The group was stopped at Makadara while demanding urgent action on land disputes that have affected the Kisauni area for decades. Residents say the land wrangles have denied many families ownership rights, fueling tension and endless conflicts.
Police officers confirmed that the six were taken to Central Police Station because they did not have the licence required for a lawful protest.
“The Ardhi Fund was signed into law, yet the issue is still dragging. Why are leaders giving us empty promises?” one of the activists asked angrily.
“We invited the governor for two separate meetings in Shanzu, but he never showed up. Just last week, we went to the County Assembly hoping to see him, but he still did not attend,” the protester added.
Another activist urged the county leadership to begin land mapping in all sub-counties, saying land grabbers were taking advantage of the confusion. According to the protesters, fraudsters are using fake power of attorney documents to illegally claim public land.
In response, Deputy Governor Francis Thoya assured residents that the county government was already working to address the issue. He urged locals to remain calm and avoid street protests, saying dialogue was the only way forward.
“We are not hiding anything or running away from our responsibilities. It is true that Kisauni residents are suffering because of land ownership disputes, but protests will not help solve the problem,” Thoya said.
“The only real solution is for all parties to sit down together and discuss how best to address these challenges.”
The latest confrontation highlights how land disputes have become a common crisis in Mombasa County. Just a few days ago, a state land agency made a ruling that reignited controversy over the ownership of a 3,000-acre farm in Bamburi.
According to the National Lands Commission (NLC) committee on historical injustices, all investors who had purchased portions of the land from a private company will be required to repurchase their plots. Each non-indigenous buyer may have to pay up to Ksh500,000 for a 50 by 100 plot, depending on its location.
On the other hand, the commission ruled that indigenous squatters living on the disputed farm would be allocated a total of 300 acres free of charge as part of the resettlement plan.
The escalating disputes have sparked frustration among residents, with leaders and community members calling for urgent and lasting solutions to protect locals from exploitation and to bring an end to decades of land injustices in the coastal region.
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