Ruto Pledges to Buy Two Million Acres from Absentee Landlords to Settle Coast Squatters

Deputy President William Ruto has pledged to address the issue of landlessness in the Coast region if he ascends to power after the August 9th general elections.

Ruto, who is eyeing the presidency under the UDA party, says his administration will set aside funds to acquire two million acres from absentee landlords to settle squatters in the five Coast counties of Taita Taveta, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu and Tana River.

“I am very much aware that land is a thorny issue in the Coast region. We have very many squatters and because there is a lot of undeveloped lands, we will buy it from the absentee landlords to settle you,” Ruto said.

Addressing a campaign rally in Wundanyi, Taita Taveta County, the deputy president told residents that his main competitor Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party does not have a plan to revamp the country’s economy and his main agenda is to change the Constitution.

“Do you think Raila will assist you? His agenda is mainly focusing on how they will change the Constitution and benefit themselves and not fixing the economy for the mama mboga and bodaboda, in Kenya Kwanza, we want to improve livelihoods of low-income earners not changing the constitution,” he said.

Ruto blamed the handshake between President Kenyatta and Odinga, claiming it derailed the Jubilee government’s Big Four Agenda, leading to food insecurity. He promised to reduce the prices of agricultural input and food. 

“The food security agenda was diverted by the handshake,” Ruto added.