Over 300 residents of Mkocheni in Taita Taveta County are demanding justice after being forcibly evicted from a 1,000-acre piece of land and allocated two-acre plots with defective title deeds.
Speaking on Monday, October 13, the displaced families expressed frustration over errors in the documents issued to them by the government, citing wrong names, mobile numbers instead of ID numbers, and other inconsistencies.
“Even the two acres we were given have no valid title deeds, so we cannot start building houses there,” lamented one resident. “Some titles had the wrong names, others had phone numbers instead of ID numbers, so they were taken back for correction, and we have not received them since.”
The residents said they have been sleeping in the cold since their eviction, with elderly persons and children suffering the most due to lack of shelter. They urged both local and national leaders to intervene and ensure the court order protecting them is enforced.
The dispute dates back to Sunday night, October 5, when residents of Mkocheni and Kachero were reportedly evicted from their homes near Lake Jipe. Following the incident, the Taita Taveta County Government condemned the eviction, terming it illegal and in violation of a court order issued on June 25, which barred any forced removal or interference with the residents.
Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo, in a press briefing on October 7, decried the manner in which the evictions were conducted, saying they lacked prior notice, public consultation, and humane resettlement measures.
“People with wealth are using their offices to oppress the citizens of Taita Taveta. These issues are not only happening in Mkocheni and Kachero, more communities are at risk of displacement,” Kilalo stated.
The county government has vowed to pursue legal redress and hold accountable those behind the alleged illegal evictions and land irregularities, as residents continue to camp out awaiting the return of their corrected title deeds.
