The National Lands Commission together with the Kiambu County Government have launched a mass titling program for market centers and townships in Kiambu County.
The exercise that will cover 100 town centres in the county is a project launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta to be implemented in all 47 counties in a bid to ensure people acquire title deeds of lands they have lived in for many years.
The process is also expected to end perennial land disputes that have affected investments, planning and development in urban areas.
Speaking at Gikambura trading centre in Kikuyu Sub County during the launch, National Lands Commission (NLC) Commissioner Esther Mathenge said the Commission will make sure only the rightful owners of the plots will get the title deeds.
“We are aware that unscrupulous individuals have been colluding with rogue officials of the county government and the Ministry of Lands to process fake ownership documents for land belonging to innocent residents. We will correct that” warned Mathenge.
“This is an early call to all those who have grabbed public land set aside for schools, police posts, hospitals, social halls and recreational facilities, to vacate those lands before we help you do so” said the Lands Commissioner.
On his part Kiambu Governor James Nyoro said he is working with NLC to make sure the exercise takes less than one month to be complete.
“Phase one will cover Ndeiya/Kamangu, Karai/Regutti, Karai/Muslim, Ndeiya/Ndiuni, Nderu, Makutano,Lussigetti and Nduma towns, then the second phase will cover other schemes in the plan including Ting’ang’a, Githurai, Githunguri and Mwihoko, and the final phase will be the informal sectors such as Umoja, Misri, Kanjau, Gitambaya among others” added Governor Nyoro.
KNA spoke to Joseph Mathenge a resident of Gikambura centre who could not hide his joy after the promise of having his title deed after 25 years of waiting.
“I have lived in this plot with my family for years without its title deed, am now happy I will be able to build a permanent home, and practice crop farming and animal keeping freely” said Mathenge.
Kiambu County been issued with 361,050 title deeds since the start of devolution.
By Grace Naishoo
