Residents of Bunyala Sub County have received 5,000 land title deeds through the support of the National government.
Speaking during the issuance of the title deeds at Siagonjo stadium in Bunyala Sub County, Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa noted that only 5 million title deeds had been issued to Kenyans from 1963 to 2013.
“For the past 50 years, we have been able to distribute only 5 million title deeds throughout the country,” he said, adding that 6 million title deeds have been distributed to Kenyan citizens during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s leadership since 2013.
He added that Busia County had 100,000 title deeds within the past 50 years but the local residents have received around 200,000 title deeds during President Kenyatta’s leadership.
“Today we have brought 5,000 title deeds,” he said, adding that beneficiaries should not pay when receiving the documents.
The CS urged the local leaders to ensure that areas like Obaro, Buyofu and Bulemia land parcels are adjudicated so that the residents could have their title deeds processed.
A Commissioner with the National Land Commission Reginald Okumu urged the local residents not to engage private surveyors in solving boundary disputes.
Okumu advised the residents to resolve boundary disputes amicably before engaging the County land registrar.
“The only person mandated to solve such disputes is the land registrar but before you register your complaints, try to solve your issues amicably,” he said.
He advised the National Government Administrative Officers led by the County Commissioner to form local land dispute committees adding that the Commission promotes traditional dispute resolutions.
The Commissioner further noted that land succession was a major challenge not only in Bunyala but the entire Western region.
“I want to urge the leaders including government officers to unite and try to make the succession process much easier,” he said, adding that the process is also costly.
The commissioner suggested that the government should either come up with a policy or provide funds to support the land succession process.
The beneficiaries thanked the government for the initiative adding that it has been a long wait but finally they have land ownership.
By Salome Alwanda
