Kenyans reclaim 'stolen' land

Mombasa overwhelmingly voted for change

By Noel Mwakughu BBC, Mombasa

The new government in Kenya has nullified all illegal allocation of public property to individuals and businessmen who had links with the former Kanu government.

The move, which is widely seen as the first step by new President Mwai Kibaki in the fight against corruption, has been welcomed by Kenyans.

Hours after the announcement Mombasa street hawkers who had been evicted in what was said to be a city clean-up operation caused a stir when they invaded a road reserve plot allocated to a local businessman.

Mombasa was worst hit by the dubious allocation of public utilities to businessmen and senior officials with links to the former Kanu ruling party.

Toilets allocated

Armed with tools or with their bare hands they invaded a plot from which they had been evicted last year.

Kibaki vowed to end corruption

To their surprise the plot, where their stalls had been demolished, was allocated to a wealthy businessman who had close links with the Kanu government.

A guard at the plot told me the hawkers stormed the plot just before 0700 local time on Wednesday and overpowered him and his colleague before they pulled down walls and marched away with bricks and iron sheets, chanting slogans of Mr Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition (Narc).

When I caught up with the hawkers they defended their action.

Mombasa was notorious for the illegal allocation of its public land, government quarters and even public toilets to businessmen and senior government officials who, one way or another, supported Kanu.

Past public protests had no effect but this time around, Local Government Minister Karisa Maitha says he will put an end to the situation and take action against those involved.