STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.

,
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF
THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA ON THE LAMU LAND ALLOCATIONS, 31 JULY
2014
My Fellow Kenyans,
My government is committed to securing the dignity, wellbeing and property of
every Kenyan without fear or favor. For this to be achieved, we are clear that
land plays a critical role in ensuring equity and driving the economic growth
that will provide the improved livelihoods that our citizens and communities
yearn for. We look forward to Kenya as a democracy founded on the security of
property ownership and the opportunities that come with it.
his vision has guided my government!s transformative programme in the land
sector. "ur actions are already bearing fruit in terms of service delivery, and we
are only getting started in what will be far#reaching and impactful action.
My Fellow Kenyans,
$o far, we have earnestly pursued a comprehensive programme on the
issuance of itle %eeds to which signi&cant resources have been allocated.
'nsuring that citizens and families have security of tenure will increase food
production, create more investment opportunities, and improve housing and
health outcomes. (t will also minimize disputes over ownership between
individuals, families and communities. he overall result will be empowered
Kenyans whose e)orts are *oined to increased opportunity.
+ast year, we began this programme in the ,oast region. While in +amu, (
directed the ,abinet $ecretary for +ands, -ousing and .rban %evelopment to
carry out a comprehensive audit of the land allocations in +amu ,ounty.
his audit is now complete and has revealed shocking details. We have
established that between /011 and /01/, on the eve of our 2eneral 'lections,
almost 300,000 acres of public land, which is appro4imately 506 of land within
+amu ,ounty available for settlement and other productive purposes, was
alienated to twenty#two private entities under dubious and corrupt
circumstances. While a few used illegal means for their own gain, the many
thousands of families living in this ,ounty occupy only 706 of the land
available for settlement and production.
We have established that this alienation was not done in accordance with the
principles underpinning land management in the ,onstitution of Kenya nor the
laws regulating public land alienation at the time.
his criminal conspiracy has dispossessed individuals and families living in this
region of their land and opportunities for improving their wellbeing. (t has also
helped fuel the current insecurity being e4perienced in the region, and
frustrated our e)orts in building cohesion in the country.
My Fellow Kenyans,
For far too long this pattern of mismanagement of our public resources has
resulted in the dispossession, strife and poverty of Kenyans.
he level of impunity revealed by the audit is unprecedented, untenable and
unacceptable.
(n light of the foregoing, ( now direct the ,abinet $ecretary for +ands, -ousing
and .rban %evelopment and the 8ational +and ,ommission to revoke and
repossess these land parcels with immediate e)ect.
( further call upon the (nspector 2eneral of 9olice and the ,riminal (nvestigation
%epartment to commence investigations with a view to bringing to account all
persons who were involved in this criminal enterprise without e4ception.
'arlier today, ( hosted my :rothers 9resident ;oweri Museveni of .ganda, 9rime
Minister -ailemariam %esalegn of 'thoipia and 9resident $alva Kiir of $outh
$udan to e4plore ways of &nancing our massive < /= billion +>9$$' pro*ect.

( am determined that this criminality will neither derail nor delay one of the
most transformational regional trade and investment pro*ects of our time
hank ;ou.

2od bless you and 2od bless Kenya