I CANNOT stress this enough - this area was UNIQUE and different from the other land in Kenya! This would have included Mombasa up until Oct 5, 1963, Obama JR's possible place of birth in Aug 1961, in addition to the possible location of Obama SR's and Ann Dunham's marriage in February 1961. IOW, it gives us another place to look other than in Kenyan and BNA records ...
from “Waiting for a piece of their own earth”
http://www.awcfs.org/content/view/255/65/
The Sultan of Zanzibar hived off an area of 10 miles from the Indian Ocean water mark and placed it under his rule. It is known as the 10-mile Coastal Strip. It did not fall under the British Protectorate like the rest of Kenya but was ruled from Zanzibar
“When the country got independence in 1963, this area was annexed to the rest of the country from Zanzibar, but the first African Government did not include it in its initial land policies,” said Mr Kapombe.
Published on September 30, 2007, 12:00 am
By Amos Kareithi, The Standard
http://www.bushdrums.com/news/index.php?shownews=1205
The ten-mile coastal strip of land is as controversial as landlessness and squatters. The history of this piece of land, stretching ten miles from the Indian Ocean to the hinterland, has remained contentious.
...
In a letter dated October 5, 1963, Kenyatta bound his government to some undertaking in recognition of the coastal strip. “I have the honour to refer to the discussions held between our respective governments on the subject of the coastal strip and to place on record the following undertakings by the Government of Kenya,” reads the letter to the prime minister of Zanzibar.
His note further reads: “The free hold titles to land in Coast region that are already registered will at all times be recognised. Steps will be taken to ensure the continuation procedure for the registration of new free hold titles and the rights of free holders will at all times be preserved”. (Note: the Sultan of Zanzibar fled after a revolution that took place barely three months later)
The letter was used as a legal instrument binding the Government to respect the status quo of land prior to independence.