Kiambu County government has rolled out a Land clinic across the county to encourage the public to adhere to guidelines and relevant approvals pertaining to development of their property.
The County Chief Officer at the Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning Edmund Njihia Njoroge, said the exercises was necessary to ensure compliance to regulations laid down on matters land and development.
He said the county had experienced unregulated and uncertified construction of projects over the last few months with some collapsing or caving in due to poor workmanship or lack of proper supervision raising the need to create awareness.
Njihia who was presiding over the exercise at the Kiambu Social hall said the clinic was to safeguard the safety inhabitants of the new housing units to ensure the rule of law prevailed.
“We want to caution new land owners to conduct proper search in conjunction with the Department of Lands at the county to reduce instances of past land arrears by the land seller being projected to individuals who are intending to purchase the respective land,” he said.
“There are instances where people have defaulted paying annual land rates to the county thus when, selling the new owner is forced to pay for the past accrued land rates which was not in their initial land buying budgets,” Njihia cautioned.
He however was optimistic that the clinics will be able to address concerns as well as educate the Kiambu residents on matters land and therefore urged them to take advantage of the exercise and learn as well as get their queries answered.
During the launch an assistant Structural Engineer at the County and in charge of reviewing building designs Mr. Ian Munene, shared that loopholes and challenges the construction industry experienced citing lack of consistent engagement with professionals, lack of supervision and ignorance of required guidelines.
“We are here to emphasize to the public on the need and significance of engaging qualified and registered professionals throughout all phases of any construction undertaken whatsoever with no shortcuts as human life is important when occupying these spaces built,” he said.
As a department, Munene urged developers to gather all required information from professionals in order to reduce the gap of misinformation and ignorance in the land and construction sector for betterment of human habitation spaces.
Land clinics in Kiambu, Juja, Ruiru, Thika sub counties are ongoing while Limuru, Kabete, Kiambaa and Kikuyu are scheduled for 14th and 15th March.
By Jackline Kidaha
