Residents of Kasemeni village in Lunga Lunga, Kwale County, have threatened to return title deeds issued to them by President William Ruto a month ago, claiming the documents contain errors that undermine their land ownership rights.
The residents say the measurements recorded on the title deeds are smaller than the actual parcels of land they have occupied for years. They are now demanding that the government review the documents and conduct fresh surveys to reflect the correct sizes of their land.
Speaking to the media on Monday, October 2,2026 the residents said they were dissatisfied with the discrepancies and wanted the government to correct the documents before they could accept them.
John Kasim, a resident of Lunga Lunga, said some of the information on the title deeds was confusing, particularly the section suggesting that the documents would only be completed after payment of a fee, despite residents being told that the process had already been paid for.
“We do not understand these title deeds. They are not acceptable to us because the title itself says it will be completed only when the fee is paid, yet we were told that it had already been paid,” Kasim said.
He added that the residents were unwilling to keep documents whose details they could not fully understand.
Moses Makelele, a resident of Lunga Lunga said some residents had attempted to use the title deeds to seek loans from banks but were reportedly informed that the documents had no value for that purpose.
He said the outcome had dashed their hopes of using the title deeds to access credit and improve their livelihoods.
The residents argue that the documents should give them secure ownership and enable them to use their land as collateral where applicable.
Julius Kaema said the residents had decided to return the title deeds through their area chief, Mwenyasi, for onward submission to the Deputy County Commissioner in Lunga Lunga, kwale county.
“We are returning these title deeds to where they came from so that they can be corrected and we can get our rights,” Kaema said.
He urged the government to prioritise residents’ interests and ensure the land measurements are accurate before issuing corrected documents.
The residents insist they do not want additional land but want the sizes recorded on their title deeds to reflect the land they actually own.
They are now calling on the relevant government agencies to investigate the alleged discrepancies, conduct fresh measurements and issue corrected title deeds that accurately reflect their parcels.
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