The Kirinyaga County Government has completed a four-day verification exercise covering 17,000 acres in the disputed South Ngariama settlement scheme in Mwea Constituency, marking a significant step towards resolving a land ownership conflict that has persisted for nearly six decades.

The exercise, spearheaded by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands and Physical Planning, Rev. Samuel Kanjobe, seeks to identify the rightful beneficiaries of thousands of plots whose ownership has remained contested for years. Once completed, the exercise is expected to pave the way for the issuance of title deeds to approximately 8,200 residents.

County warns against fake land ownership documents

Speaking to the media in South Ngariama on Friday, July 24, 2026, Kanjobe cautioned residents against presenting forged or fraudulent ownership documents during the verification process, warning that those found guilty would face legal action.

He said the county had enlisted its legal department to oversee the verification process, with every claimant required to swear an affidavit and record a formal statement before their documents are accepted.

“We will have people; as they present their documents,, they will swear an affidavit and record a statement so that if you’ve presented documents and they are not genuine, you will have lied under oath. And you know the legal repercussions for that. We will charge you in a court of law. So we want to deal with bona fide owners and beneficiaries,” Kanjobe said.

The lands executive revealed that officials had encountered numerous cases involving photocopied ownership records, conflicting documentation linked to the same plot numbers, and claims made using questionable identification documents.

“Some people are presenting documents which have been photocopied here; others are presenting ID cards which show they were born either 18 or 20 years ago, saying they were given the plot in 2009. You wonder whether they were given land when they were five years old,” he added.

Kanjobe noted that lawyers would administer oaths and record statements from beneficiaries to safeguard the process from land grabbers and ensure only genuine owners are recognised.

Nearly 800 disputes delay title deed issuance

The county attributed the prolonged delay in issuing title deeds to the large number of unresolved disputes lodged with the adjudication office.

According to Kanjobe, a total of 795 land disputes have been recorded so far, with adjudication officers working to resolve each case before ownership can be finalised.

He disclosed that the county government will return to court on October 19 to present a progress report on the dispute resolution process, which is being undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands.

“Our adjudication officer is working hard to solve the recorded disputes, and there are about 795 land disputes, and on 19th October we will go back to court to report on the status of the work we have been doing,” he said.

Residents welcome long-awaited intervention

Residents and beneficiaries who participated in the verification exercise welcomed the initiative, saying it offered hope of ending decades of uncertainty over land ownership.

One of the beneficiaries, Peter Gatimu, said the verification exercise would give genuine landowners the confidence to begin developing their plots even before receiving title deeds.

He urged the Ministry of Lands to fast-track the resolution of the remaining disputes to enable residents to obtain their long-awaited ownership documents.

“The disputes should be solved quickly so that we can get our title deeds,” Gatimu said.

The completion of the verification exercise marks a major milestone in resolving one of Kirinyaga County’s longest-running land disputes, with the county government expressing optimism that the process will finally unlock secure land ownership for thousands of families in the South Ngariama settlement scheme.