• Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a said land set aside for public amenities will also be issued with title deeds to ward off grabbers.
• She said her office is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands to fast-track processing and issuance of the documents.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
The government is planning to issue title deeds to more than 30,000 residents of Kiang'ombe squatters settlement scheme, Kisii and Salama villages in Thika, Kiambu county.
They have waited for decades to receive the crucial land ownership documents, which they say has subjected them to endless suffering including their properties being preyed on by land grabbers.
Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a said land set aside for public amenities will also be issued with title deeds to ward off grabbers.
She said her office is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands to fast-track processing and issuance of the documents.
"Most residents in these villages only have the allotment letters and certificates. Next week we will convene a meeting to authenticate their documents so we can initiate the process of issuing them with title deeds. Their long wait is finally over," Ng'ang'a said.
She said title deeds will unshackle residents from the chains of poverty as they will be able to access financial facilities while using the land documents as security.
The MP, who was speaking while distributing relief food to Kiang'ombe residents on Thursday, also raised concerns over cartels of land grabbers who have wreaked havoc in the villages.
They have been targeting public utilities including spaces set aside for construction of schools, markets, social halls, police posts, hospitals as well as parcels owned by squatters.
"They have an insatiable appetite for public land and they have been colluding with corrupt officials in the government to forge documents and process sham title deeds," the MP said.
"However, their days are numbered because we will have all title deeds produced for public land revoked and the reverted back to the public."
Ng'ang'a noted that the cartels, of individuals with deep pockets, have already grabbed a prime land parcel that was earmarked for construction of Kiang'ombe Primary School.
"They have erected a wall around the land but this will not stop us from repossessing it. They have been the cause of suffering for learners from this village who are forced to travel long distances to the nearby schools including Athena and Kimuchu," she said.
Kiang'ombe Squatters Settlement Scheme chairperson Florence Wanjiku said at least 30 acres of their land have been grabbed. She claimed their land was initially measuring 99.5 acres but it has been reduced to 67 acres.
"We have been fighting for this land since 1997. We have knocked relevant offices for decades and efforts to get our title deeds have been futile. We have been living at the mercies of land grabbers. We are however glad that finally there's a light at the end of the tunnel," Wanjiku said.
She said their land has been subdivided and all members have been issued with allotment letters.
Residents welcomed the move by the government, saying it was long overdue. They said that issuing them with title deeds will lead them to financial freedom besides keeping off land cartels from their villages.
"We were born and raised in this village, our parents left us suffering in the hands of these cartels just because we didn't possess the requisite land ownership documents. We are however grateful that we will finally get the documents and our children will have a home to call theirs," resident Leah Wambui said.
Residents also pleaded with the government to ensure all squatters get settled in the land including those whose parcels fell under the power line wayleaves.
"My parcel is under the powerline and my fear is that I might not get my title deed. I've lived here since 1971 and all I've been longing for is my title deed," resident James Ndichu said.