Official address · 21 May 2026
Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning,
The question of land in Kenya has never been simply about title deeds. It has always been about identity, dignity, belonging, security, and opportunity.
Land ownership embodies the right of every family to live in security, to build with confidence and dignity, and to leave future generations a foundation of hope, opportunity, and shared prosperity.
Land is the inheritance entrusted to us by past generations and the platform upon which future generations will build their dreams and prosperity.
For many decades, however, the story of land in parts of our country, and especially here in the Coast region, has also been a story of pain, marginalisation and injustice.
Thousands of families have lived on land for generations without the certainty of ownership. Communities have occupied ancestral lands without legal recognition through title deeds. Parents have raised children and grandchildren on land they called home, but could not legally claim as their own.
For many citizens, this has meant living with uncertainty and the fear of eviction. It has meant inherited poverty and unresolved disputes passed from one generation to another. It has meant limited access to credit and investment opportunities.
The land question here at the Coast has remained one of the most emotive issues in our nation because it touches on the deepest aspirations of our people: Security, fairness, and dignity.
That is why, from the very outset, this administration was determined to deal with this matter decisively and conclusively.
When we came into office, we made a commitment that we would confront difficult issues honestly and decisively. We committed ourselves to resolving historical land injustices and restoring dignity to citizens who have waited for justice for far too long.
Since August 2022, we have treated land reform as a cornerstone of national transformation. Across the country, we have so far issued nearly 1.5 million title deeds, of which over 380,000 have been delivered here in the Coast region alone, accounting for more than 25% of all title deeds issued nationally. Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is neither merely an administrative undertaking nor is it about statistics on paper. It is about restoring justice to communities that have waited for far too long and transforming lives through dignity, ownership, and economic opportunity.
Behind every title deed is a family whose future is rooted in ownership, security, and hope. Behind every title deed is a farmer who can till the land, invest confidently and reap the rewards of hard work. Behind every title deed is a community freed from uncertainty and the fear of displacement, with the dignity and confidence to build a better future.
And today, as I begin my working tour of the coastal region, we take another important step in this journey of justice and transformation, restoring ownership, safeguarding dignity, and unlocking new opportunities for families and communities to build a better future.
I am happy to announce that we shall be issuing an additional 33,025 title deeds in Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River, Taita Taveta, and Lamu counties. Specifically, we shall be issuing titles to Weru Ranch in Kilifi, Mwele Simakeni, Msabaha, Ka Dzandani, Wachu Kondertu and the Ronge Juu Registration Unit.
For many communities, this moment carries deep significance. Take the case of Ronge Juu in Taita Taveta. Established in 1969, families there have waited for nearly 60 years for formal recognition and ownership documentation. Today, that uncertainty comes to an end. Ladies and Gentlemen,
As part of the Government’s efforts to promote orderly land ownership, ongoing land adjudication processes are underway across several areas, including Vigurungani, Mtaa, Mazola, Chengoni, Bofu, Gandini, and Kitengwani.
Adjudication is also going on at Mihirini, Mwembe Kati, Tsangalaweni, Kalia Ngombe, Viragoni, Godoma, Ngoroki, Chawia and Mu Mari, among others.
This exercise is aimed at identifying, demarcating and documenting land rights and is expected to result in the issuance of more than 55,000 title deeds.
At the same time, we are strengthening the registration of community land to protect communal heritage and secure the rights of local communities, with six units already formalised in Taita Taveta and Tana River, and a further nine currently under processing across the region.
We understand that the challenge extends beyond title deeds alone. The issue of squatters and absentee landlords remains one of the most complex dimensions of the land question at the Coast.
As a Government, we have gone beyond merely issuing documents and have moved toward creating lasting solutions.
Through deliberate interventions, the Government has negotiated and acquired strategic parcels of land in areas such as Kwa Punda in Changamwe, Mombasa County, benefiting 8,500 people; Junda in Kisauni, benefiting 12,000 people; Gazi in Msambweni, benefiting 3,000 people; Gombato in Kwale County, benefiting 7,000 people; Shambani in Msabaha, Malindi, benefiting 11,000 families; Ganda in Malindi, benefiting 9,000 families; and Takaungu also Kilifi County, benefiting 2,000 families.
We have also finalized negotiations to acquire additional land in Mashamasha, Lamu County, benefiting 2,000 families; Migingo in Malindi, benefiting 4,000 families; and three separate locations in Likoni, benefiting 356 families. Additional land has also been secured in Junda, Utange, and Bombo in Kisauni, benefiting a total of 2,100 families.
We are further engaging landowners in Kagaa and Kiwandani in Kilifi County; Machungwani in Taita Taveta County; Parbat and Waa in Kwale County; Kitangale and Kibusu in Tana River County; and Zumzum, Thathini, Ali Dina, and Kwa Bulo in Mombasa County, among others, to facilitate the settlement of squatters. These efforts will enable over 200,000 households to benefit from secure settlement and land ownership. Ladies and Gentlemen,
Land should never be a source of perpetual conflict; it should be a source of prosperity. It should create jobs, attract investment, strengthen communities and expand opportunity.
As Government, our objective is therefore not merely to resolve disputes of the past; it is to create a stronger foundation for the future.
The work ahead remains significant. Additional parcels continue to be identified for settlement, and further engagement with communities and leaders remains necessary.
But our intention is clear, and our commitment is firm: The era in which families lived as strangers on land they have occupied for generations is, and must, come to an end.
The chapter in which uncertainty and insecurity defined the lives of our people is, and must, come to a close.
Our promise to the people of Kenya, and specifically to those in the Coast region, is straightforward: No deserving Kenyan should continue living in fear on land they call home.
We will continue working until justice is delivered, dignity is restored, and every citizen has an opportunity to build a safe and secure future. I thank you. ###