Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has raised the alarm over rising cases of land-related violence and fraud in Kilifi County, pointing a finger at criminal gangs being used to forcibly dispossess locals of their land.
In a statement after a town hall meeting on Wednesday, April 9, Murkomen revealed that land issues were a concern among residents, many of whom have fallen victim to violent evictions.
“From our town hall plenary interactions today, it came out that most issues in Kilifi County revolve around land: gangs being used to dispossess people of their land, multiple allocations of land, land fraud and even elders being killed to pave the way for inheritance,” he said.
Murkomen pledged government intervention, saying security agencies would dismantle criminal networks operating under the guise of land ownership disputes.
“We will dismantle all land invasion gangs immediately and also convene a meeting with the Ministry of Lands and the Judiciary to fast-track the resolution of land ownership disputes in Kilifi County,” he added.
Read More
This comes a day after Murkomen issued a warning against political violence and gang activity following a violent incident at a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking in Mombasa on Monday, April 7, Murkomen reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding public spaces from criminals.
“Part of the reason why we are dealing with gangs is to make sure that there is no place in Kenya where we will allow any goons or gangs to invade any facility, whether it's a church, school, or a street. This country must be led by the rule of law," he stated.
Murkomen said the government would not tolerate any form of lawlessness regardless of political affiliation.
“Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. We cannot allow extrajudicial processes to continue in the country. We must remain a country of law and order, and we do not want to subscribe to any political side.
"Our purpose is to ensure that everybody can exercise their rights freely across the country as long as they are conducting it peacefully,” he added.
