The government has distributed about 70 title deeds for colonial village squatters in Rurii ward, Nyandarua County ahead of Tuesday next week’s by-election. This is one of the government’s targeted 35 villages in the county.
On Friday, 30 title deeds were issued to residents of Turkana village while another 35 were issued to residents of Co-site village in Rurii ward.
Residents of Njabini and Ndunyu Njeru villages were issued with the vital document during the first phase early last year.
Speaking while overseeing the issuance of the land ownership documents in Co-site village, Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia said that both the National and the county governments were fast-tracking the process of resolving the outstanding disputes in several villages in the county.
“I now believe that having been issued with these title deeds you will be able to develop those plots and use the titles as an avenue to acquire loans for personal gains,” he added.
He said the government was fulfilling a commitment made by President Uhuru Kenyatta to residents of Nyandarua County.
The President in his visit last year ordered the Ministry of Lands to issue titles to the about 40, 000 squatters in the colonial villages following public outcry.
Nyandarua County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo said the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the County Government of Nyandarua have been working through a Rapid Results Team to accelerate the issuance of the titles, backed by teams of planners and surveyors seconded from the National Government, following the President’s directive.
He assured residents in the remaining villages that the processing of more title deeds was underway and would soon be completed.
The two urged residents to support Jubilee candidate Peter Thinji in the upcoming Rurii ward by-election so that they can continue enjoying meaningful development from the government.
“The government will give all candidates a level playing ground during Tuesday’s by-election and we expect everyone to come out and practice his democratic right,” said Leparmorijo warning that they will not condone anyone trying to compromise peace.
Nyandarua and Samburu Counties Lands Registrar, Charles Ayienda, noted that only the original allottee documents will be used to issue title deeds saying that buyers should later go for transfers at the Lands registry.
He called on the families of the deceased owners of the title to file a succession petition in court so that the titles can be released to them.
Residents could not hide their joy after acquiring title deeds for land saying for the last 50 years’ life had not been easy.
By Jesse Mwitwa
