CS Karoney promises better days for disenfranchised land owners, communities

Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney has promised to carry on with on-going reforms in the land sector that will streamline operations and ensure disenfranchised land owners and communities receive their title deeds.

In her speech during a titling event at KICC on Tuesday, CS Karoney said that the Ministry was committed to ensuring the success of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s National Titling Programme that has so far seen a record 5.1 million title deeds issued across the country in just 7 years.

“Security of land tenure is important for the prosperity of Kenyans, and as a Ministry we are committed to ensuring the success of your (President Kenyatta’s) land reform agenda by giving land owner their title deeds.

“We have also begun the implementation of the Community Land Act, and have so far issued three community titles in Laikipia County. The exercise will extend to all the other 23 counties that have community land,” she said.

Karoney attributed the successes at the Ministry of Lands to what she termed as unwavering support accorded to her and her team by the President, saying the progressive increase in budgetary and resource allocation for the National Titling Programme had yielded fruit.

“The job you gave us was to ensure we implement your promises to Kenyans and we are achieving this because of the tremendous support that you have accorded us; it is this that has made it possible for us to issue a record 10,000 title deeds to residents of Samburu County today, against a paltry 2,000 issued to the County residents between 1963 and 2019,” she said.

The Lands CS noted that the Ministry intended to issue 5,000 more title deeds to residents of Samburu County before the end of the year, bringing the total number of title deeds issued in one year to 15,000.

She also lauded Parliament and County Governments for their cooperation in the implementation of the government’s titling programme.

“As you directed, Your Excellency, we have been working closely with county governments, the Senate and the National Assembly though the Committee on Lands chaired by Hon. Rachel Nyamai, to ensure speedy implementation of the land reform agenda,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

Karoney also pointed out the historicity of the event stating that through the titling programme, eight Samburu women were to receive their title deeds for the first time since independence.

Besides the 10,000 title deeds issued to Samburu residents, the President issued a 2,000-hectare title deed to the Ministry of Tourism for the expansion of the Nairobi National Park, and a 119,000-hectare title deed to the County Government of Narok for the preservation of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

The Head of State also issued a title deed for City Park, and another for Naivasha Special Economic Zone to avail space for investment that would spur economic growth in the area.

Later on, President Kenyatta flagged off 75 new motor vehicles to be deployed to county registries to improve mobility and ensure efficient delivery of services at the grassroots.