Kongo Mosque officials ask gov't to help salvage land under dispute

Officials protecting the welfare of Kongo Mosque in Kwale County have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government to resolve a land dispute that threatens the 16-hectare plot surrounding the historic mosque.  

The mosque's officials have raised concerns over alleged land grabbers who, they claim, have forged documents to illegally seize the land.

According to the mosque’s imams, they are the rightful custodians of the mosque, asserting that the title deed for the land was handed to them over a decade ago by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during President Mwai Kibaki's administration.  

Assistant Imam of Kongo Mosque Amani Mwachirumo urged both the national and county governments to intervene before the land is seized by corrupt individuals.

"We are worried that this land will be grabbed by these illegal land grabbers. We are not going to allow that to happen. We are the rightful owners, and we have proof," Mr Mwachirumo told journalists at the mosque.  

The mosque officials are calling on the Cabinet Secretary for Lands to urgently clarify the situation, as it is his office that allegedly issued the title deed to the suspected land grabbers.

"We are also going to the Mombasa regional land office, where all old maps and titles are kept. We have discovered that for over 30 years, Kwale lands have been illegally grabbed through this office," he alleged.  

The dispute has drawn widespread concern, with local residents and religious leaders expressing solidarity with the mosque’s officials. Many are calling for swift government action to prevent further encroachment on the land.  

The mosque has stood as a symbol of spiritual and cultural heritage for decades, and its officials are determined to protect the land, which they say has been in their custody for over 12 years.

The issue has sparked debate about the rising cases of land grabbing in the region, with many calling for more stringent measures to safeguard public and communal lands.