Mombasa MCAs press Lands Department on stalled Ardhi Fund regulations
The committee engaged County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands, Urban Planning, Housing and Serikali Mtaani, Mohammed Hussein, alongside the Ardhi Fund Committee, to assess the status of implementation.
Members of the Mombasa County Assembly have demanded answers from the Lands Department over delays in rolling out the Mombasa Ardhi Fund Regulations, 2024, which are meant to address the county’s long-standing land disputes.
The Assembly’s Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Planning, chaired by Ahmed Khamis, questioned why the regulations had not been fully implemented despite assurances that the framework was in place.
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The committee engaged County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands, Urban Planning, Housing and Serikali Mtaani, Mohammed Hussein, alongside the Ardhi Fund Committee, to assess the status of implementation.
The Ardhi Fund, established under Kenya’s Public Finance Management Act, is designed to provide solutions to land disputes while promoting equitable ownership, safeguarding marginalised groups, and offering pathways to settle historical land injustices. It also seeks to promote access to housing and encourage sustainable urban development.
Ahmed pressed the CECM on progress and timelines for operationalisation of the fund.
In response, CECM Mohammed stated that the fund’s chairperson, board members, and administrator had already been appointed and that roughly 80 per cent of the implementation process had been completed.
He acknowledged, however, that land issues in Mombasa remained complex, ranging from conflicting titles and court disputes to parcels under negotiation for sale.
The committee raised further queries, with Bamburi MCA Patrick Mbelle seeking clarity on the five per cent land rate allocation, the actual amount deposited into the fund, whether an account had been opened, and the existence of a work plan.
Mohammed confirmed that a dedicated account had been created and allocations would be reflected in the current financial year.
County Assembly Speaker Aharub Khatri urged vigilance, advising the Ardhi Fund Regulations Committee chairperson, Bishop Ibrahim, to remain alert given the sensitivity of the issue.
He called on the department to collaborate more closely with MCAs to ensure the fund’s intended benefits reached Mombasa residents.
Following the exchanges, Ahmed directed the Lands Department to prepare and table a detailed report on the progress of the Ardhi Fund Regulations for further scrutiny by the committee.
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