Residents of 11 informal settlements in Kirinyaga County have a reason to smile following the commencement of beaconing and topographical survey of their land for tenure regularisation.
They have been living as squatters in the select villages, which were previously designated as colonial villages and will be issued with title deeds once the exercise is completed.
A technical team of land surveyors from the County Government, Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Programme (KISIP) and consultants from GeoDev Kenya Limited has already undertaken the exercise at Kagumo, Kamuiru, Rwambiti, Kiburu, Kimunye, Ithareini, Kiangoma, Mukinduri, Kibirigwi.
According to the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Samuel Kanjobe, the beaconing and topographical survey will be completed on Saturday with Ndindiruku and Githogondo villages being the last.
Approximately a total of 91.2 hectares will be surveyed and subdivided into 1750 plots. Titles will be issued to 1664 individual plot owners while some 86 plots will be left for public use. World Bank (WB) and Agence Française de Development (AFD) is supporting the initiative through the KISIP II to plan, survey and issue title deeds.
Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru says the regularisation will provide security of tenure for the inhabitants who have been living on their land as squatters, adding that the initiative aims at improving living conditions and strengthening security of tenure for the inhabitants.
“Our aim is to ensure people living in the colonial villages get title deeds, it is a huge step towards improving living conditions in the informal settlements. The land tenure regularisation will also help us improve infrastructure and improve the conditions of living for our people,” Waiguru said.
Waiguru said her administration will fast-track the process of issuance of title deeds to people living in all informal settlements once all the processes are concluded.
“The residents of these colonial villages will now get security of tenure to those settlements. Together with other interventions that we are undertaking as County Government and under the KISIP programme, we have ignited hope for hundreds of residents living in the informal settlement in Kirinyaga,” Waiguru added.
GeoDev Kenya Limited Technical Lead, Dennis Kimathi, said the team of land surveyors has also curved out land for access roads and other public amenities so as to ensure the settlements are accessible and people are able to get government services.
“We are planning and beaconing to eradicate informality. We have created spaces for roads, drainage, power supply and other public amenities,” he said.
Eliud Muriithi, Chairman of the Kiburu Informal Settlement in Kirinyaga West Sub-county, said some of the inhabitants have lived in the village for more than 50 years.
“We are happy that finally our long wait is coming to an end and we will be able to get title deeds for our land. The beaconing of the plots will also help us end border disputes amongst us because everyone now knows where his land starts and ends,” said Muriithi.
Jefitha Bundi from Ithareini colonial village in Gichugu Sub-county said the initiative will help restore dignity to the people living in the informal settlement.
“This is a life-changing initiative and we want to thank the County Government and KISIP. We appreciate efforts to uplift the lives of people who have lived here as squatters for many years, this project will dignify our lives,” said Bundi.
By Mutai Kipngetich
