Taita Taveta Elders Push for Title Deeds as Land Disputes Persist

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

A Council of Elders in Taita Taveta County is calling on government leaders and politicians to prioritise the issuance of title deeds warning that continued delays are exposing residents to land disputes and uncertainty over ownership.

The elders say only a section of residents have received ownership documents, while many families, some of whom have occupied their land for years, are still waiting for titles.

For John Mwakio, an elder with the Njavugo Council of Elders, resolving the title deed question requires leaders at both the county and national levels to work together.

“The lack of title deeds has remained a major challenge for our people. We want our leaders to come together and help people at the grassroots get these important documents,” he said.

Residents say the problem goes beyond the paperwork.

Without documents formally establishing ownership, they argue, families are left vulnerable whenever disputes arise over boundaries or ownership.

Some residents also allege that prolonged delays have created opportunities for wealthy and influential individuals to take advantage of communities that cannot readily prove ownership of their land.

“Many of the land disputes we are seeing are because people do not have title deeds. When you do not have documents for your land, someone with more influence can come and claim it,” one resident said.

The concerns are particularly pronounced in Taveta Constituency, where residents say the wait for title deeds has stretched for years.

For them, a title deed is more than proof of ownership. It provides security for families, helps reduce disputes and can allow landowners to use their property more confidently for investment and development.

“We are asking the government to help us get our title deeds. We have waited for a long time and we want to know that the land where we live is legally ours,” another resident appealed.

The elders now want the issue placed higher on the development agenda, arguing that infrastructure and other investments must be accompanied by secure land ownership for the communities expected to benefit from them.

Their appeal puts renewed focus on a long-running land question in Taita Taveta: how quickly authorities can move from resolving historical ownership disputes to giving residents the documents that provide lasting security over their land.