Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned that land fraud, coupled with contracted squatters, poses a significant threat to national security, particularly in regions such as Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui counties. During a recent tour of these counties, Murkomen expressed concern over the growing issue of land disputes, including invasions, competition for resources, succession disputes, and fraudulent activities.
Murkomen specifically singled out the issue of “contracted squatters” in Machakos, which he described as a well-organized operation involving politicians, top ministry officials from the Interior and Lands, and members of the Judiciary. According to the CS, these squatters are not ordinary landless people but are hired and paid to illegally occupy both private and public land. This practice, he noted, has evolved beyond the Portland land scandal, with squatters now targeting idle lands across the region.
“The squatters’ menace is a big problem in Machakos, a part of the Nairobi metropolitan area. These squatters are land grabbers who are procured and transported to take over land,” Murkomen said, emphasizing that the issue of land grabbing must be tackled head-on. He also reassured the public that the government is committed to exposing and prosecuting those behind these activities, including corrupt officials from various state agencies.
In response, Murkomen highlighted the ongoing public consultations known as Jukwaa la Usalama, aimed at finding long-term solutions to this problem. A whole-of-government approach, involving collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, local governments, and law enforcement, is being put in place to combat land fraud and squatting. Murkomen also urged landowners to ensure they possess genuine title deeds and to report any illegal occupation of their land.
The CS’s statements underline the government’s resolve to tackle land issues, a problem that has lingered across multiple administrations. Murkomen warned criminals that their days are numbered and vowed to bring the matter to the National Security Council for a strategic resolution.
