Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir at Maganda Primary School in Jomvu on Tuesday/ BRIAN OTIENO

Tycoons from within and outside Mombasa are grabbing prime parcels of land in Maganda using the justice system, Jomvu MP Badi Twalib has said.

Maganda is a village near the Dongo Kundu bypass and the Mombasa terminus of the standard gauge railway in Twalib’s Jomvu constituency.

The value of land skyrocketed because of the construction of the two mega projects.

About 20 years ago, a 50 by 100 parcel could go for a mere Sh20,000, the SGR project has made the same piece of land now fetch about Sh1.5 million, an amount that makes tycoons salivate.

Speaking during the Maganda ECD groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, graced by ODM leader Raila Odinga, Twalib said it is time the government processed title deeds for landowners in the area.

He lauded Raila for his efforts that made residents get allotment letters while he was Prime Minister during President Mwai Kibaki’s regime.

At the time, Raila sent then Lands minister James Orengo to issue allotment letters to residents of Maganda.

“Today we have allotment letters, but we are being taken to court every day. As we are being taken to court, the same guys are busy selling off parcels in Maganda while the cases are ongoing,” Twalib said.

“Maganda is full of people but the court cases are never ending,” he said at Maganda Primary School, which he built using the Jomvu NG-CDF.

The MP warned the tycoons their days are numbered.

“Those who use court orders should prepare themselves for a fight. We will face them one by one. We cannot accept you using the courts and delaying justice for more than 10 years while Maganda stalls in development, while you sneak through the backdoor to sell the very lands,” Twalib said.

He said while there are 10-year-old cases ongoing, the parcels, which are the subjects of the court cases, are being sold off secretly.

Twalib said there will be no more sale of lands in Maganda.

Raila said it is wrong for anyone to misuse the justice system at the expense of poor Kenyans.

He confirmed while he was PM, he specifically sent then minister Orengo to ensure the land is surveyed and allotment letters issued before title deeds were prepared and subsequently issued.

“But now I hear that grabbers have gone to court to oppose that move. I will talk to this government so that this issue is sorted as soon as possible,” Raila said.

Raila said he will ensure title deeds to the real landowners are issued to them and not tycoons.

ODM Mombasa chairman Mohamed Hamid, a close ally of Twalib, said the Orange party stands for justice and land rights.

Hamid, popularly known as Dhee, said he has faith Raila will ensure the issue is sorted.

Twalib said Raila’s dream was to see allotment letters followed shortly after by title deeds.

Last month, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said all those that have constructed houses in Maganda, whether they have allotment letters or not, will have to undergo picking.

“He who resides in a house they have constructed must get the title deed to that piece of land,” MP Twalib said.

The MP said many of the Maganda residents missed out on substantial compensation for the two mega projects—SGR and Dongo Kundu bypass—because they lacked title deeds.

According to Twalib, they were compensated for the houses they had built and not for the land.

He said for a modest modern house, residents were paid Sh2 million, but had they had title deeds, the would have gotten Sh10 million, which would have included the land compensation.

The legislator said a third project, the metre gauge railway that would transport SGR users from the Mombasa terminus to the Mombasa CBD, also saw residents only compensated for houses they built and not for the land they owned due to lack of title deeds.

“We want this to end. We will do everything we can to ensure Maganda residents get their title deeds,” Twalib said.

The Jomvu MP also said the MGR commuter rail service from the SGR to Mombasa CBD should benefit Miritini residents through job opportunities.

“When the commuter rail service starts operations, we don’t want our Miritini residents to escort it with the eyes. They must get jobs there,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Miritini MCA Swaleh Kibwana, who said every national government project must have benefits for residents.

“The other day we saw Kenya Railways Corporation announce the testing of the MGR commuter rail service. The only testing we want is for the people of Miritini to get jobs in that commuter rail service,” Kibwana said.

“Do all your tests, in the night and during the day, but when you are through, give us jobs,” the MCA told KRC.

He said the MGR project has not had any benefit for Miritini residents in corporate social responsibility.

“We haven’t seen even a single structure as a CSR, giving back to the community,” MCA Kibwana said.

“It is wrong for you to take our lands, demolish our houses and fail to give us jobs.”