Residents of Mada Islands in Lamu County have filed a petition seeking to be enjoined in a case involving the alleged illegal acquisition of their land by foreign investors. The investors are accused of unlawfully obtaining thousands of acres in Lamu.

The residents claim their property rights have been violated, alleging that land officers at the Lamu Land Registry have frustrated their efforts to reclaim their land.

Additionally, the residents’ representatives are urging the High Court to include them in a case against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for failing to prosecute those involved in the illegal land transactions.

Did you read this?

  1. Lamu Deputy Governor Raphael Munyua Ndung’u Is Dead
  2. 'It Will Be A Permanent War,' CS Kindiki Says On Gov't Fight Against Drugs
  3. Two Reservists Killed In A Police Post Terror Attack In Lamu


Through lawyers Matina Swiga and Danstan Omari, the residents lament that, a lawyer and a registrar of lands are the legal minds behind the alleged fraudulent transfer of their land to third parties.

In the case filed at Constitutional and Human Rights Division, Fatuma and Wafiya are urging the court to entrench their rights under Article 43 by declaring them and other residents of Mada Islands the legal owners of over 1000 acres of land which have since exchanged ownership illegally.

In the certificate of urgency the petitioners have stated that they have a significant and identifiable stake and legal interest in the case pending at the Milimani High Court.

PHOTO | COURTESY Residents of Mada Island Speak To The Media

The petitioners have disclosed to the court that the suspects behind the allegedly fraudulently transfer of their land have secretly filed a case in the Milimani Law Courts and obtained orders prohibiting the DCI from Investigating them and the DPP from prosecuting them, “We urge this court to grant orders in favor of the petitioners seeking joinder in the case filed by Alex Githinji Njage to avail evidence which will enable the court render a fair decision,” said Wafiya.

The petitioners have disclosed that the Malindi High Court had declared them the legal owners of the land but to their utter surprise the Ministry of Lands Nairobi records show that their land has been allocated to wealthy foreign investors who have begun constructing holiday resort.