- More 40 land surveyors from the Ministry of Lands and neighboring counties will be provide technical support
- All land owners will be required to be present on their parcels of land with ownership documents
Image: WANGECHI WANG'ONDU
Residents of the disputed 17,000-acre South Ngariama ranch in Mwea, Kirinyaga county, are set to receive title deeds.
This is after the Ministry of Lands and county government brought in surveyors to kick-start adjudication.
The process, which will be done under the protection of police officers is expected to identify internal boundaries.
Kerugoya Environment and Lands Court Judge John Mutungi directed the ministry to resolve the dispute that has rocked the area for more than three decades.
Ministry of Lands assistant director for Adjudication and Settlement Ezekiel Kiania said the survey will involve data collection on existing facilities like hospitals, wetlands, riparian areas and schools among others.
“We have more than 40 surveyors from the Ministry of Lands and neighboring counties, who will be on the ground to offer technical support,” he said.
Kiania said all land owners will be required to present on their lands with ownership documents.
The exercise has given hope to about 8,000 residents who have been waiting for tittle deeds for decades.
Lands executive Samuel Kanjobe urged residents to cooperate for the successful completion of the exercise.
During a recent visit in the area, Governor Anne Waiguru said the issuance of tittle deeds had been delayed by politics.
“As you can recall, we had started the adjudication process but we had to stop due to political interference. We are hoping that the process will be concluded and no one loses their land to middlemen and brokers,” she said.
Waiguru said issuance of title deeds in South Ngariama is one of her priorities.
Nancy Wanjiku, a resident, expressed relief for the process.
She said title deeds will save the community from disputes that at times turned violent and resulted in fatalities.
“The violence has for a long time disrupted our children’s education and robbed us of peace. This crucial process has renewed our hopes that conflict will end,' she said.
James Njagi, a resident urged South Ngariama residents to exercise patience and cooperate with adjudication officers.
“We are pleased that our voices have finally been heard and acted upon. It’s been a prolonged struggle and I implore on my neighbors to allow the officers to carry out their duties diligently to ensure equitable land distribution."