Lamu County - Senator Joseph Githuku Kamau, is seeking a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment, and Natural Resources pertaining to the alleged illegal encroachment of land. The affected areas include the villages of Pangani, Nyatha, Kaisari, Mavuno, and Poromoko.

In a statement presented to the committee, the senator is requesting a comprehensive response from the committee, following the points outlined below:

𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞:

Senator Kamau first urges the committee to disclose the current status of ownership concerning a particular tract of land identified as L.R. No. 1405/1. This land, encompassing Pangani, Nyatha, Kaisari, Mavuno, and Poromoko villages, measures approximately 639.783 acres. The senator seeks clarity on the ownership arrangements related to this area.

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:

Additionally, the senator calls upon the committee to provide clarification regarding the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development's actions in relation to plot demarcation surveys and squatter verification. Specifically, Senator Kamau requests information regarding the ministry's fulfillment of its commitments during the Financial Year 2021/2022 in settling the land occupants through these measures.

𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩:

Furthermore, the senator urges the committee to determine whether the Witu Livestock Cooperative Society, which claims ownership of land in the aforementioned villages, possesses the necessary documentation to substantiate its ownership claims. It is essential to ascertain the validity of the cooperative society's ownership rights over the land.

𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Lastly, Senator Kamau emphasizes the importance of a multi-agency approach in resolving the dispute concerning land ownership. The senator requests clarification from the committee on whether such an approach was implemented. Additionally, the senator seeks information on whether public participation was conducted to facilitate the regularization of land ownership, thereby ensuring transparency and inclusivity in the decision-making process.