Land fraud and contracted squatters are a serious threat to national security, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned.
Speaking during the commissioning of the newly built Machakos County DCI office, the CS noted that land issues are a cross-cutting challenge in all the Lower Eastern Region counties.
After touring Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties, he stated land disputes range from invasion, competition for resources, to succession and fraud.
He took issue with what he termed contracted squatters in Machakos, a protracted matter that he said is executed through the collusion of politicians, top ministry officials from the Interior and Lands, and the Judiciary.
“Land is the biggest threat to security in this region, especially Machakos, which forms part of the Nairobi metropolitan area. The squatters’ menace is a big problem as they are procured, contracted, transported and paid to occupy private and public land,” Murkomen said.
“These squatters are actually contracted land grabbers. We have noticed a pattern after we dealt with the Portland land; now they are moving to take over other idle land.“
The CS lauded the move to find a lasting solution, pegging it on the ongoing public stakeholders’ engagements across the country dubbed Jukwaa la Usalama.
He stated that, in a whole-of-government approach, the grabbers will be exposed and prosecuted.
“ The few genuine squatters, duped to buy land dishonestly, will be taken care of as they are genuine victims,” he said.
He, however, issued a stern warning to those hiring goons and gangs to grab land, saying that their days are numbered.
“Those colluding with police, ministry of Lands and Interior officials as well as Judicial officials will be flushed out,” Murkomen said, adding that the matter will be escalated to the National Security Council (NSC).
“We must get a strategy to confront this problem. It should not be recurring in each administration. We shall put in place a policy that once implemented, will guide successive regimes.”
He called on landowners who fall prey to these invaders on vacant land to work closely with the ministry.
“We will also work closely with the Ministry of Lands to ensure owners have genuine title deeds,“ he urged.
He promised to ensure the taskforce report on land is considered at the security committee and escalated to the NSC.
“Just like other regions, Machakos will not be a home for criminals,” he said.
He also warned against vandalism of critical government infrastructure, citing the Nairobi Expressway and electricity poles among others being targeted for scrap metal.
He revealed that working closely with the county governments, they will deploy sting operations to dismantle the cartels involved.
“Vandalising road furniture and other infrastructure for scrap metal will not be tolerated. We will ensure those engaging in this illicit activity are apprehended and charged,” he added.