President William Ruto is set to begin his tour of the Coast region on Saturday, including breaking ground for the $16 billion (KSh2 trillion) East Africa Refinery in Lamu, a project to be jointly undertaken by the Kenyan Government and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.
The refinery is expected to process crude from Lokichar, Turkana County, and supply refined petroleum products to markets across East and Central Africa.
The refinery will enhance Kenya’s energy security by ensuring reliable supply of petroleum products while creating more than 500,000 jobs.
According to his itinerary, the Head of State, who is in the US, will first issue nearly 200,000 title deeds across the Coast region and later launch construction of a new refinery in Lamu.
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“The tour, covering Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, and Lamu counties, will provide the President with an opportunity to assess the progress of Government projects in the region while engaging with residents and local leaders on development priorities,” said a statement from State House.
President Ruto will begin the tour of the region in Taita-Taveta County on Saturday, where he is expected to issue 31,318 title deeds to residents of Mwatate and Voi constituencies.
He will then travel to Kwale County on Monday, where he will issue 94,175 title deeds to beneficiaries in Lunga Lunga, Msambweni and Kinango constituencies.
The issuance of the title deeds is part of the Government’s plan to distribute 500,000 land ownership documents as it seeks to address longstanding squatter and other land-related challenges that have affected communities in the Coast region for decades.
In Kilifi County, the President is scheduled to issue 36,826 title deeds to residents of Kaloleni, Rabai, Ganze, Kilifi South and Malindi constituencies.
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He will also provide 4,360 title deeds to beneficiaries in Mombasa County, while a further 22,770 title deeds will be distributed in Lamu and Tana River counties.
The programme is part of President Ruto’s administration’s broader efforts to resolve historical and administrative land challenges in the Coast region, where disputes and uncertainty over land ownership have remained a longstanding concern.
The documents will give beneficiaries formal ownership and enable them to make greater use of their land for economic development activities.
“For many beneficiaries, the title deeds are expected to provide greater certainty over land ownership after years of waiting for formal documentation,” said State House.
During the working tour, President Ruto is also expected to commission completed development projects, inspect ongoing ones and launch new projects in the six counties.
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