[Article source: The Standard, by Cyrus Ombati]
The National Land Commission (NLC) has ordered owners of 13 parcels of land at the Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa to vacate in three months.
Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri issued a public notice in which he told the named owners there to first submit their ownership documents to NLC within 14 days.
“Prepare to vacate the said lands within 90 days of the same as required by section 155 of the Land Act of 2012 and 152C of the Land Laws (Amendment) Act of 2016,” read part of the notice dated January 14.
The named holders of the land include Mohammed Ali, Mrs Nassim Ibrahim, Baptist Fellowship, Golf Course, Ashok Doshi and Pratibha A. Doshi and Kamlesh Lalitchandra and other.
Swazuri said upon complaints from the public, the commission investigated and confirmed the said properties were illegally alienated from Mama Ngina Waterfront Gardens in Mombasa.
About 20 acres had been grabbed leaving only six for the public.
This comes days after the President launched a multi-million shilling project to give the drive a facelift.
The President commissioned the Sh460 million project to create a modern waterfront and directed the land commission to repossess the grabbed land.
The facelift is part of an ongoing project to turn the coastal city into a leading world class tourism destination.
A public square, two gateways, a Swahili cultural centre, pigeon coops, paved paths, space for restaurants, a modern market and an amphitheater are some of the facilities set to be developed in the multi-million shilling project.
Completion of the project, which is jointly implemented by the Tourism ministry and Mombasa County government, is scheduled for May.
