The County government of Nakuru has rolled out the second phase of planning, mapping and surveying of 25 urban centers to help unlock the county’s business and investment potential.
Senior Planner in the Department of Survey and Planning Justin Mayaka said issuance of title deeds after the process was part of a wider plan by the county government to empower residents to be able to develop their land parcels without fear of losing them.
In a statement to newsroom Tuesday, Mayaka noted that the first phase of the exercise which was rolled out in July has resulted in 28 trading centers in the rural areas being successfully planned and land ownership documents issued.
“The exercise is aimed at ensuring sustainable development in the areas. It is also geared towards ensuring urban areas attract investments from both public and private sectors.
Individuals with plots will be able to develop them as their land is secured. Plot owners can easily access collaterals when they present their documents to banks and other financial institutions,” observed the senior planner.
He said that most land owners have for a long time been marginalized by previous administrations which did not ensure land rights were adhered to.
Mayaka further stated that proper planning would help address land disputes occasioned by lack of title deeds and leases so as to regularize security of tenure.
“The importance of title deeds cannot be gainsaid. They help minimize land conflicts. The title deeds also help to minimize cases of people being dispossessed of their property by land grabbers.
Cadastral survey will ensure that our centers have fixed boundaries and individuals with title deeds can secure searches with land registry, “he added.
In the past, the titling program has been marred with wrangles, disputes and court cases in some of the informal settlements, which often thwart county government regularization efforts in the affected schemes.
At the same time, inordinate delays and bureaucracy at the ministry of lands and physical planning regarding processing of documents and registration of leases also slows down the titles delivery process.
By Jane Ngugi
