Kwale Residents Reject Ruto-Issued Title Deeds Over Ancestral Land Dispute

More than 26,000 title deeds were issued to residents in Kwale during President William Ruto's tour, with the government promising to distribute more documents to rightful landowners before the end of the year.

However, some residents have rejected the documents, saying the acreage captured in the title deeds does not correspond with the size of land they and their families have occupied for generations.

Led by Buda Mbwana of Anzwani village, who spoke on Monday, October 5, 2026, the residents urged the government to revoke the disputed titles and conduct a fresh adjudication based on ancestral boundaries. “We appreciate the President for giving us title deeds, but they do not reflect the reality. We have shambas, not plots,” Mbwana said, adding that some residents had been allocated plots measuring 50 by 100 feet or even smaller.

Another resident, Dala Enea from Gazi Township, said the government was wrongly treating families who had occupied ancestral land for generations as squatters, and that it was unfair for such families to receive titles for less than a quarter of an acre. Mwatime Ali from Anzwani alleged that some parcels had been allocated to more than three people, and accused surveyors involved in the adjudication of disregarding traditional boundaries and dividing ancestral land into smaller portions.

Tumbe resident Pili Rajab warned that failure to address the disputed allocations could trigger conflict in the area, saying indigenous residents would not accept outsiders taking possession of land they had traditionally occupied. She said widows were particularly affected and worried about what they would leave for their children after being allocated smaller parcels.

The residents want the government to review the disputed allocations and conduct fresh adjudication based on the boundaries they say their families have traditionally occupied, and to consult affected communities before issuing new title deeds.