Restoring Dignity: President Ruto Issues titles to 31,318 Beneficiaries in Taita Taveta

Mwatate, October 1, 2026 
Thousands of families in Taita Taveta County have had their dignity restored after President William Samoei Ruto issued title deeds to 31,318 beneficiaries, giving them secure ownership of land they have called home for generations.

The issuance marks a significant step in the Government’s efforts to resolve longstanding land ownership challenges in the Coast region, transforming years of uncertainty into security, dignity and an opportunity to invest and develop with confidence.

The President told thousands of residents who gathered at Mwatunge that the issuance fulfilled his promise to address historical land challenges that have affected communities in the Coast region for generations.

“The answer is here, the title,” President Ruto told the gathering, emphasizing that the Government was determined to resolve the longstanding squatter question in the region.

The issuance adds to the Government’s ongoing land settlement programme in Taita Taveta.

The beneficiaries are drawn from Godoma, Taveta Township Block 1, Bura Ndogo, Majengo Mapya, Kijiji Chewa, Chawia/Wusikaya, Mwatate Old Market, Voi Township, Kaloleni, Sofia and Mwakingali, as well as Chawuse Community.

Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Alice Wahome said the Government had been deliberate in addressing land ownership challenges, urging beneficiaries to safeguard and make productive use of their titles.

“Now that you have the title deed, let it be a precious asset and use it wisely,” CS Wahome told residents.

She noted that the Government was also investing in development projects in the region, including markets, institutional infrastructure and affordable housing, with investments valued at approximately KSh11.5 billion.

Principal Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning Generali Nixon Korir urged beneficiaries  to collect their titles and safeguard their documents, describing secure land ownership as an important foundation for development.

For residents, the issuance was more than a Government ceremony. It was the fulfilment of a long-held dream.

Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime expressed gratitude to the President, saying residents had waited for title deeds for many years.

“We have cried for a long time. Thank you, President,” said Governor Mwadime.
Taita Taveta Women Representative Lydia Haika thanked the Government for addressing what she described as historical land injustices, saying the community had faced land ownership challenges for a long time.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi described the resolution of the land question as a significant development for Coast communities, noting that successive administrations had grappled with the issue.

Other leaders, including Taveta Member of Parliament John Bwire, Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports of Kenya Salim Mvurya, and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Principal secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo welcomed the issuance, saying secure land ownership would give families greater dignity and a stronger foundation for development.

The beneficiaries now have an opportunity to use their titles to access financing, develop their land and secure their investments for future generations, as the Government continues with its programme to address land ownership challenges across the Coast region.

President Ruto's  administration is correcting injustices that were ignored by previous administrations.

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