State keen to address past and historical land injustices, says Uhuru

 Irene Githinji and PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta said yesterday that his government is committed to  resolving historical land injustices in the country through intensified issuance of title deeds. 

Uhuru said the government is already in the process of addressing past injustices.

He made the remarks as he urged counties to also set aside land for investors to put up industries at a bearable cost, as opposed to exorbitant charges that have been scaring them away. 

The President said in the last seven years, at least 5.1 million title deeds had been issued to Kenyans since his administration came into office.

  “At least 5.1 million Kenyans have received title deeds since 2013 for free. That is my joy.

You can now see in most places of the country that there has been change in people’s lives.

Landowners are now putting up permanent structures. Titling has empowered so many Kenyans,” he said.

He was speaking at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), where he kicked off issuance of 15,000 title deeds to Samburu residents.

The President also flagged off 75 vehicles, under the leasing programme in the Lands Ministry.

It is expected to improve mobility and facilitate efficient service delivery. 

The lease contract is for a period of four years, each costing Sh148 million and the cost covers maintenance and servicing to be done periodically.

The vehicles will be distributed to all the 60 land registries across the country to boost the titling programme.

Fulfills promise

“I am happy because we are gradually fulfilling the promise we made to Kenyans.

We are solving the land question by issuing title deeds so that Kenyans can put their land to productive use without fear of losing their property,” the President said. 

Besides individual landowners and group ranches, the Government will issue title deeds for community land in the largely pastoral county and across the country so as to address disputes arising out of its use.

“For a long time community land has not been titled, and in some areas, this has been a source of disputes.

We want to solve that problem by issuing title deeds so that communities, with their leaders, can decide how that land will be used according to the their needs,” the President said.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Faridah Karoney said the Government seeks to giving security of land tenure to as many Kenyans, so that they can confidently empower themselves.

“Since 1963 to date, Samburu community has only been issued with 2,000 title deeds.

Through the ministry’s community land titling programme, Samburu has received an extra 5,160 titles and a further 9,423 will be ready by end of next month,”