On Sunday, a Kenyan lawyer told the Daily Nation that the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park is partly owned by a private investor of Swiss origin.
The park was in the news last week after the Kwale county started enforcing a resolution of the disbanded Kwale County Council to charge visitors a dollar a day as part of its revenue generating plan.
It is now emerging that the park is not wholly owned by the public although the Kenya Wildlife Service claims to hold title deeds for the entire park.
On Sunday, the investor, Mr Alessandro Torriani, said through his lawyer that he was in possession of 99-year leasehold title deed for part of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park. The lease had earlier been converted from freehold.
Mr Torriani’s lawyer, who talked to the Nation on condition that he is not named, confirmed that his client has title deeds for part of the land at the marine park. He did not give details.
The park drew the attention of the world recently when the investor advertised four islands in it for sale.
Mr Torriani’s lawyer, however, said his client had withdrawn the islands from the property market because buyers were offering far less than the Sh1.5 billion that Mr Torriani had quoted.
On Sunday, a Kenya Wildlife Service official said the matter was being handled by the National Land Commission.
“The commission is investigating this matter and if any KWS officer was involved in dubious transactions, they will be held responsible,” he said.
He said KWS has challenged Mr Torriani’s contention that he has title deeds to some of the islands.
In what could turn out into a legal tussle between KWS and the investor, Mr Torriani’s lawyer said it will now be up to relevant institutions to decide which of the two sets of title deeds was genuine and which one was fake. The National Land Commission is expected to tour the islands this week to resolve the ownership feud, which has caught the attention of conservationists.
On Friday, Dr Swazuri, together with a KWS team, will sail to the islands to discussthe issue with Mr Torriani.
“As far as we are concerned, the title is in the hands of KWS and we are perturbed to see that an individual has been mandated to own the property,” he said.
Dr Swazuri said that the commission was acting after stakeholders raised concern that the land was up for sale.
“As a commission, we want the matter to reach its conclusion so that the bona fide owner is known.
But for now, we are aware that the title is with KWS, who have sent their security to patrol the islands,” Dr Swazuri said.
- Daily Nation
