Kilifi County Government Set to Open Up Beach Access Roads.
By Ronald Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Kilifi County government will demolish all the structures blocking access roads to the sea-fronts within its jurisdiction.
To do this, the county has also asked for national government support when executing its orders.
Governor Gideon Mung’aro, speaking after participating in a beach clean-up exercise at Vidazini landing site, directed private developers to pull down their structures failure to which his administration will do so.
The demolition exercise is expected to kick-off immediately the ongoing survey and digitalization is completed.
“All those who have blocked access roads to the beaches from Ngomeni to Mtwapa their day are numbered,” he said.
Already survey is ongoing to facilitate the exercise and once its completed graders will be unleashed to bring down the structures.
“We have received a lot of outcry from the residents that some private developers had erected perimeter walls blocking roads accessing beaches, thus, making it difficult for members of the public to access the beaches.”
According to him the law does not allow any private developer to block any beach access road.
“The law is very clear that no developer is allowed to put any structure within the 60-metre stretch from the shoreline or block road accessing beaches but some investors have violated this.”
Some developers who irregularly acquired land had gone to an extent of denying local fishermen and other beach users through the erection of walls that impede passages to the beach-fronts.
He said his department of lands has files that would clearly distinguish between public and private lands and this would facilitate reclamation of all the public lands utilities.
“Your days are numbered and very soon, we will be telling the individuals to give back what belongs to the public. It has always been clear from the past that grabbing and blocking roads accessing beaches was against the set laws set.”
James Kahindi, a resident, said the private developers, local administrators and land officials were to blame for the increased fraudulent land transactions in the county.
In some areas where no titles had ever been issued before, government officials and connected people individuals have connived with land officiala to acquire title deeds through ‘dubious’ means.
“There are individuals colluding with rogue lands officials to benefit themselves, the county must collaborate with the National government to make sure these injustices are stopped,” he alleged.