Residents warned over Kinango land

Monday, August 12, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY CHARLES MGHENYI

RESIDENTS of Tsunza in Kwale county have been warned against selling their lands to tycoons who are targeting the area because of the upcoming Dongo Kundu by-pass project.

Civil society, political and government leaders have warned that businessmen are out to buy acres of land at very low prices and making millions when the project is completed.
Speaking during the official opening of the Tsunza health centre in Kinango, the Gandini chief Harrison Munga said the residents are being blackmailed to sell off their lan.
Munga said people are ignorant of the consequences that will come after they sell off their land. He said many would be left landless and squatting in an area where land has been a problem since independence.
“People are selling their land using the allotment letters that they were given by the government. It is unfortunate that some are also giving out the allotment letters to buyers after selling the land,” he said.
The residents are selling the land between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000 per acre and according to the area chief the land would fetch millions of shillings when the Dongo Kundu project is completed.
He said they have initiated a process of enlightening the residents on importance of owning land in the area because the region will soon become an economic hub after the multi-billion bypass is completed.
Richard Matano, a human rights and nature activist, said the land in the area should be treated well because the region will soon be on the world map.
Majaliwa Kombo, a government relation manager at Base Titanium mining company in Kwale, said residents should never think of selling their land.
He said Kwale is a rich region and the upcoming Dongo Kundu project will open up doors for more development in the region.
He said investors are now running into Kwale county because of those multi-billion project and the residents should hold onto their land.
The Sh4 billion Dongo Kundu bypass is a proposed road that will connect Mombasa mainland (South and West) without entering Mombasa Island to ease congestion at the Likoni crossing channel.
It measures about 17.5km from Miritini at the mainland to Ng’ombeni to the south mainland and it will consist of four bridges through swampy land and Indian Ocean.
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