Residents of Bombolulu Phase Two in Mombasa County have protested the alleged grabbing of community land by an unknown private developer.
They cited fears of increased flooding following the construction of an unplanned perimeter wall near Ziwa la Ngombe wetland.
The residents said they woke up to the erection of a fence without consultation or public participation, raising concern that the wall would block natural water channels and worsen flooding in the estate during the rainy season.
Speaking to reporters at the site, village elder Phyllis Kalume said she had lived in the area since 1986 and experienced repeated flooding whenever it rained.
“Every time floods occur, my home is affected. Even now, the damage from rainwater remains visible,” Kalume said.
She explained that Ziwa la Ngombe is a natural wetland, a feature reflected in its name, and questioned how private ownership claims emerged over the land.
“This is a wetland by all standards. We want to know who allocated this land, to whom, and through which process,” she said.
Kalume added that residents had written to the County Government of Mombasa and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) but received no response.
She recalled a 2017 assessment by World Bank officials, which identified unplanned developments and perimeter walls as key causes of blocked waterways and recurrent flooding in the area.
“The recommendation was the construction of three soak pits to channel excess water toward the ocean, yet none has been built to date,” she said.
David Mutunga a property owner in the estate said flooding had repeatedly damaged homes in the estate, with the 2023 floods forcing families to sleep outdoors after water submerged houses, vehicles, and household items.
“Our homes were completely flooded. We could not access them after work and had to sleep outside,” Mutunga said.
He noted that residents had hoped drainage linked to the Mombasa Malindi Highway project would ease the situation, though contractors denied involvement in local drainage beyond the road works.
“The wall now under construction will block the path water uses to flow into the Ziwa, pushing more water into our homes,” he said, calling for an immediate halt to the works pending public participation.
Bombolulu Moroto Village Administrator Hassan Thoya described the development as alarming, stating that local leaders and residents were not informed before construction began.
“We were promised soak pits, yet we woke up to surveyors and wall construction,” Thoya said.
He added that during heavy rains, residents required evacuation by boats, warning that further obstruction of water flow would worsen the situation.
Another resident, Mary Githaiga, said floodwaters in 2023 rose to stair level, forcing families to seek safety on higher ground.
“The floods destroyed many of our belongings,” she said, urging the county government to construct proper drainage linked to the main highway drainage system to allow water to flow into the ocean.
By Sitati Reagan
