At least 700 residents from the formerly Colonial villages in Nyandarua County may finally receive their title deeds after the exercise was dogged by controversies.
County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich said about 71 title deeds were already been issued but an additional 197 may be released by next week.
“Planning and surveying of the plots in the 27 colonial villages has already been done for most of the parcels, with the remaining survey works and titling is underway,” added Cherutich during a County Development and Coordination Committee (CDICC) meeting at Ol Kalou.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in his earlier visit had ordered the Ministry of Lands to issue titles to the about 40, 000 squatters in the colonial villages following public outcry.
County Acting Chief Officer for lands Samuel Kamau noted that only the original allotee documents will be used to issue title deeds saying that buyers should later go for transfers at the Lands registry.
“We have the verified list of allotees and where the original allotment letters were issued and the owner has since subdivided or sold the land, the title will only be issued in the name of the original allotee,” Kamau said disputing allegations that the county surveyors and planners had seized the opportunity to hive off some plots for themselves and their family members.
Nyandarua and Samburu Counties Lands Registrar, Charles Ayienda, decried the increased complaints of double allocation saying that the officers will be conducting public barazas in a bid to resolve the matter.
Ayienda appealed to persons who applied for the title deeds and have failed to collect them to do so, as over 482 remained unclaimed at the registry in Nyahururu town.
“It could be that the registered owners are deceased and we can’t give them to the family until they do confirmation of granting through the courts of law,” urging the families to file succession petition to confirm that they are administrators of the plots.
By Anne Sabuni
