Statement by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the Lamu Land Allocations

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H., PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA ON THE LAMU LAND ALLOCATIONS, 31 JULY 2014 My Fellow Kenyans, My government is committed to securing the dignity, wellbeing and property of every Kenyan without fear or favor. For this to be achieved, we are clear that land plays a critical role in ensuring equity and driving the economic growth that will provide the improved livelihoods that our citizens and communities yearn for. We look forward to Kenya as a democracy founded on the security of property ownership and the opportunities that come with it. This vision has guided my government’s transformative programme in the land sector. Our actions are already bearing fruit in terms of service delivery, and we are only getting started in what will be far-reaching and impactful action. My Fellow Kenyans, So far, we have earnestly pursued a comprehensive programme on the issuance of Title Deeds to which significant resources have been allocated. Ensuring that citizens and families have security of tenure will increase food production, create more investment opportunities, and improve housing and health outcomes. It will also minimize disputes over ownership between individuals, families and communities. The overall result will be empowered Kenyans whose efforts are joined to increased opportunity. Last year, we began this programme in the Coast region. While in Lamu, I directed the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development to carry out a comprehensive audit of the land allocations in Lamu County. This audit is now complete and has revealed shocking details. We have established that between 2011 and 2012, on the eve of our General Elections, almost 500,000 acres of public land, which is approximately 70% of land within Lamu County available for settlement and other productive purposes, was alienated to twenty-two private entities under dubious and corrupt circumstances. While a few used illegal means for their own gain, the many thousands of families living in this County occupy only 30% of the land available for settlement and production. We have established that this alienation was not done in accordance with the principles underpinning land management in the Constitution of Kenya nor the laws regulating public land alienation at the time. This criminal conspiracy has dispossessed individuals and families living in this region of their land and opportunities for improving their wellbeing. It has also helped fuel the current insecurity being experienced in the region, and frustrated our efforts in building cohesion in the country. My Fellow Kenyans, For far too long this pattern of mismanagement of our public resources has

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Transcript of Statement by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the Lamu Land Allocations

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.,PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OFTHE REPUBLIC OF KENYA ON THE LAMU LAND ALLOCATIONS, 31 JULY2014

My Fellow Kenyans,

My government is committed to securing the dignity, wellbeing and property ofevery Kenyan without fear or favor. For this to be achieved, we are clear thatland plays a critical role in ensuring equity and driving the economic growththat will provide the improved livelihoods that our citizens and communitiesyearn for. We look forward to Kenya as a democracy founded on the security ofproperty ownership and the opportunities that come with it.

This vision has guided my government’s transformative programme in the landsector. Our actions are already bearing fruit in terms of service delivery, and weare only getting started in what will be far-reaching and impactful action.

My Fellow Kenyans,So far, we have earnestly pursued a comprehensive programme on theissuance of Title Deeds to which significant resources have been allocated.

Ensuring that citizens and families have security of tenure will increase foodproduction, create more investment opportunities, and improve housing andhealth outcomes. It will also minimize disputes over ownership betweenindividuals, families and communities. The overall result will be empoweredKenyans whose efforts are joined to increased opportunity.

Last year, we began this programme in the Coast region. While in Lamu, Idirected the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development tocarry out a comprehensive audit of the land allocations in Lamu County.

This audit is now complete and has revealed shocking details. We haveestablished that between 2011 and 2012, on the eve of our General Elections,almost 500,000 acres of public land, which is approximately 70% of land withinLamu County available for settlement and other productive purposes, wasalienated to twenty-two private entities under dubious and corruptcircumstances. While a few used illegal means for their own gain, the manythousands of families living in this County occupy only 30% of the landavailable for settlement and production.

We have established that this alienation was not done in accordance with theprinciples underpinning land management in the Constitution of Kenya nor thelaws regulating public land alienation at the time.

This criminal conspiracy has dispossessed individuals and families living in thisregion of their land and opportunities for improving their wellbeing. It has alsohelped fuel the current insecurity being experienced in the region, andfrustrated our efforts in building cohesion in the country.

My Fellow Kenyans,For far too long this pattern of mismanagement of our public resources has

Page 2: Statement by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the Lamu Land Allocations

resulted in the dispossession, strife and poverty of Kenyans.

The level of impunity revealed by the audit is unprecedented, untenable andunacceptable.

In light of the foregoing, I now direct the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housingand Urban Development and the National Land Commission to revoke andrepossess these land parcels with immediate effect.

I further call upon the Inspector General of Police and the Criminal InvestigationDepartment to commence investigations with a view to bringing to account allpersons who were involved in this criminal enterprise without exception.

Earlier today, I hosted my Brothers President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, PrimeMinister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethoipia and President Salva Kiir of SouthSudan to explore ways of financing our massive $ 24 billion LAPSSET project. I am determined that this criminality will neither derail nor delay one of themost transformational regional trade and investment projects of our timeThank You. God bless you and God bless Kenya