Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has embarked on national wide campaign to sensitize members and other professionals on land laws and regulations to help streamline operations in land adjudication.
The organization chairman Abraham Samoei said the initiative also targets to weed out unscrupulous surveyors and brokers coning unsuspecting Kenyans.
Samoei said the campaign aims at sensitizing land surveyors, planners, valuers, geomatic engineers, registered estate agents, building surveyors and land administration managers on the existing laws, amendments and regulations to help restore sanity in the sector.
Through the program, the players in the sector will be trained on the Land Registration Act 2012, the Land Act 2012, the National Land Commission Act 2012 and the Community Land Act 2016 to enhance their knowledge and enable them offer quality services.
“It has been observed that most of our members are not conversant with the new laws and regulations that is why we came up with this program,” he said.
The chairman made the remarks in Kisumu during a sensitization workshop for the professionals drawn from Migori, Siaya, Kakamega, Homa Bay, Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga and Kisumu counties.
He disclosed that various challenges had been identified in the sector, adding that through the nationwide workshops, the members will be trained on how to address them within the existing legal framework.
He said ISK has intensified crackdown against quacks and surveyors contravening the code of conduct and regulations.
The purge, he said, will see rogue practitioners struck off the register to ensure that high standards of discipline are upheld in the profession.
“So far we have not struck of any from our register but we will not delay in doing so once a solid case is presented before us,” he said.
He urged Kenyans to be on the lookout and report corrupt and rogue surveyors to avoid losing money to conmen and giving the profession a bad image.
“It is unfortunate that the mess being witnessed in the sector is attributed to us. That is why we are reaching out to the public to help report these cases to ISK for action to be taken,” he said.
He pointed out cases where surveyors and planners approved buildings irregularly forcing the government to pull them down, leading to loss of billions of shillings.
“We support demolitions because it will help streamline the sector but the exercise must be conducted within the confines of the law,” he said.
By Chris Mahandara
