THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST:- ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE CURRENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK PRESENTED BY: MWAGONAH EMMANUEL MWAGAMBO G62/68738/2013 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Laws (LLM) School of Law, University of Nairobi. Supervisor Joy Asiema THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST Declaration I, Mwagonah Emmanuel Mwagambo , hereby declare that this is my original work and has not been presented for the award of a degree or any other award in any other university. Where works by other people have been used, references have been provided. Student: Mwagonah Emmanuel Mwagambo Admission Number: G62/68738/2013 Signature: Date: Supervisor: Signature: Date: ii THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST Acknowledgements I wish to sincerely thank the following persons without whom this dissertation would not have been completed: Joy Asiema, my supervisor, for her commitment, scholarly guidance and time spent in editing this thesis. I am heartily grateful to you. Mercy Okiro for your encouragement and assistance in terms of research material and the final production of this work for providing me with insurmountable help during the compilation of this thesis and providing me with references to persons who proved to be of invaluable assistance. I am grateful. Connie Nzau- Mwagambo for being a loving wife and friend and for helping in the proof reading of this work and making the much-needed changes. Davidson Makau whose, detail, precision, additions and editing of this work produced this final copy. Finally, to all my friends and colleagues who helped me in any way whatsoever in bringing this thesis to fruition. I thank you all. iii THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to my loving family: To my parents, dad and mum, through your encouragement and guidance thus far I have come. Against all of life's turmoil, you stood by me and supported me; I love you and thank you. To my wife Connie and my children Tuwa and Tunu, thank you for being there with me and bearing with me during the countless hours when I was immersed in this work and seemingly did not have time for you. Thank you God for bringing us thus far. iv THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST Table of Contents Declaration.................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... iii Dedication.................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................v Abbreviations and Acronyms..................................................................................... viii List of Constitutions..................................................................................................... ix List of Transnational Legal Instruments ...................................................................... ix List of Kenyan Statutes................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................1 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 1.1. Background to the Problem ...........................................................................1 1.2 Problem Statement.........................................................................................6 1.3 Theoretical Framework..................................................................................8 1.3.1 The Socio-Economic Theory of Law.........................................................9 1.3.2 The Natural Law Theory............................................................................9 1.4 Objectives of the Study................................................................................11 1.5 Research Questions of the Study .................................................................11 1.6 Hypotheses...................................................................................................12 1.7 Justification for the Study............................................................................13 1.8 Literature Review.........................................................................................13 1.9 Scope of the Study .......................................................................................18 1.10 Methodology....................................................................................................19 1.11 Chapter Breakdown..........................................................................................19 v THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................21 2.0 HISTORY OF LAND LAWS IN THE COAST OF KENYA................................21 2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................21 2.2 History of the Kenyan Laws on Land................................................................22 2.2.1 The Pre-colonial Period ..............................................................................22 2.2.2 The Colonial Period ....................................................................................25 2.2.3 Post-Colonial period ...................................................................................34 2.3 Conclusion .........................................................................................................42 CHAPTER THREE .....................................................................................................44 3.0 REVIEW OF THE EXISTING LAWS ON LAND WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST ........44 3.1 Introduction........................................................................................................44 3.2 Review of the rationale behind the current Laws on Land ................................45 3.3 Review of the Land Registration Act, No 3 Of 2012.........................................52 3.4 Review of the National Land Commission Act, No 5 of 2012 ..........................54 3.5 Review of the Land Act, No 6 of 2012 ..............................................................67 3.6 Shortcomings in the ability of the new Land Laws to address the squatter problem ....................................................................................................................76 3.6.1 Overlap of the functions of the National Land Commission and the Ministry of Lands, Housing, Urban Planning and Development.........................76 3.6.2 The National Land Commission’s reliance on funding from the National government ..........................................................................................................77 3.6.3 Lack of political good will..........................................................................78 3.6.4 Lack of autonomy and independence of the National Land Commission..78 3.6.5 Operation and Institutional Challenges.......................................................79 vi THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST 3.7 Conclusion .........................................................................................................80 CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................81 4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................81 4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................81 4.2 Summary of Findings.........................................................................................82 4.3 Conclusion .........................................................................................................84 4.4 Specific Recommendations................................................................................86 4.4.1 The Land Registration Act, No 3 of 2012...................................................86 4.4.2 The National Land Commission Act, No 5 of 2012 ...................................88 4.4.3 The Land Act, No 6 of 2012 .......................................................................90 4.5 General Recommendations ................................................................................92 Bibliography ................................................................................................................94 vii THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST Abbreviations and Acronyms IBEAC Imperial British East Africa Company KANU Kenya African National Union KLA Kenya Lands Alliance MRC Mombasa Republican Council NLC National Lands Commission NLP National Land Policy viii THE SQUATTER PROBLEM AT THE KENYAN COAST List of Constitutions Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Constitution of Kenya, 1969 (repealed). List of Transnational Legal Instruments Southern African Charter on Land, Labour and Food Security. Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa. List of Kenyan Statutes Land Act, Number 6 of 2012. Land Registration Act Number 3 Of 2012. National Land Commission Act,