Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has urged the national government to adopt electronic land title deeds.
He says that e-titling will feature reduced risks of counterfeiting and other related fraudulent activities in land transactions.
Speaking in Limuru township when he issued more than 400 title deeds to shareholders of the Mwana Mukia land scheme, Wamatangi said that if adopted, the process will also expedite property transfers, reduce production costs and also ensure data accuracy.
“Digital titling saves time, it’s convenient, faster, easier and more sustainable as well as resulting in drastic reduction of processing and maintenance,” he said.
Wamatangi at the same time decried the apparent grabbing of public utility land in the county warning that his administration would no longer condone the malpractice.
“When I assumed office, land-grabbing cartels started fighting me upon their realisation that I couldn’t allow them to grab public land to enrich themselves at the expense of the general populace,” he said.
The governor intimated that his resolve to safeguard both public and private property is unstoppable and directed the Lands CECM Salome Wainaina to ensure that all public utility properties are thoroughly demarcated and readied for title deed issuance.
“I have given firm orders to my Lands minister to ensure that every ground earmarked for public use is safeguarded with a view to warding off hungry land grabbers,” he said.
Wamatangi noted that the Mwana Mukia land owners had waited for more than 30 years to get their title deeds with successive administrations using it as a campaign tool.
“After more than 30 years, you have finally received title deeds following a successful verification of ownership carried out by the county government in June 2024,” he said.
“The verification process was led by the county government and included the National Land Commission and Office of the Land Registrar. It also involved resolving disputes between the land vendor and buyers to enable processing of the title deeds, which had been delayed for decades,” he added.
He added; “The county government would also like to inform people who live in Githunguri Ranching Land in Ruiru, Kiandutu, Kiangombe, Madharau in Thika, Kanjeru in Kabete, Kiroe in Limuru Sub-County, Kiamburi in Kikuyu Sub-County, and Mwihoko in Ruiru that their title deeds are being processed and will be issued to them before the end of the year.”
