Governor Wants Handshake To Address Historical Injustices
BY GEORGE KIKAMI
Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi wants the cooperation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga to address the Coast region historical injustices for the beneficial of its local people.
Praising the move taken by the two leaders, Mr Kingi noted that it had ‘cooled off’ the volatile political temperature that had threatened the peace and tranquility of the country.
“Kenyans are enjoying the peace they have yearned for many years especially after the re-introduction of multiparty. The famous March 9th handshake” is healing political wounds inflicted by disputed general elections,” Kingi said.
He appealed to the two leaders to make sure the recommendations made by the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission report (TJRC) are implemented to further heal the country.
The governor was speaking at Ukombozi in Kilifi town during a site visit where he also handed over more than 300 letters of allotment to residents of the area.
STABILITY
Kingi said wananchi were happy seeing the two leaders who were 2017 adversaries consulting and working together before making major decisions affecting the country’s political, economic and social issues.
“What we are seeing is good for the stability of this country and especially for Coast region that depend on the tourism sector for its economical survival,” he added.
For the many historical injustices committed by the past and current regimes, the governor urged the two leaders to resolve them saying they were like ‘time bomb’ waiting to explode.
According to him the reasons why the region always supported and voted for opposition is because it feels sidelined by such past and even current regime.
“Let the first fruit of the handshake for the Coast residents be to settle the land issue that is at the heart, mind and body of every coastarian,” he said.
The region, according to him, wants nothing else from the handshake but the settlement of the historical and current injustices that have for many years affected local people.
TITLES
He disclosed that he had instructed his Department of Land, Urban development and Housing to investigate all title deeds before requesting for the National Land Commission’s guidance on what action to take against fake titles.
The region could be far ahead had the sensitive land issue resolved by the previous regimes because a title deed is a crucial document that could be used to initiate development activities at grassroots levels.
“Since we got independence in 1963 – 56 years ago – it is sadly today that we are giving out allotment letters not titles while in other regions people have used their title deeds to develop and grow their economies,” he added.
Mr Kingi promised to turn Ukombozi into a modern estate in the county as a sign that his administration is committed to changing the lives of the people.
“This being the first since the wake of devolution, I will make it a center of excellence for other residence committees to emulate. We have money set aside for such development in my administration, speed up and we will develop your areas,” he said.
According to the committee chairman Fredrick Dzengo after 20-year struggle since they moved to the area in 1998 when it was a bush they were now receiving their initial documents.
“We had to start from scratch but thank God the residents had faith in us, gave us all the support we needed and now we are celebrating,” said Mr Dzengo.
He thanked the county government for the effort but appealed for a drainage system and more security lights.
One of the beneficiaries Mrs Sidi Kahindi aged about 67 years said this was the first time that she was holding a document showing that she owned a piece of property. “My Late husband died without seeing what I have received today, I thank governor Kingi and his administration together with our committee for their initiative that has led to this new beginning,” she said.
