The perennial land disputes in Marsabit County will be a thing of the past after the government unveiled a plan to fast-track the issuance of title deeds to residents.
Most of the residents who own plots in the county have been living without valid land ownership documents.
Speaking to members of the press at her office on Monday, CECM Land, Urban Development and Physical Planning Amina Chala said her officers from the department are currently doing surveys in 14 settlement schemes for the residents to be given title deeds.
"Marsabit county government in collaboration with the Ministry of Land will embark on a joint program to fast track processing, registration and issuance of title deeds to land owners," said Amina
She said, that with the land documents, holders will be able to access financial loans to develop their land.
"The documents will enable land owners to put up hospitality facilities and businesses that will bring good returns," she said
Land executive said the county government has invested millions of shillings to ensure that residents get land titles.
She urged residents to cooperate and ensure the process was successful.
"Governor Mohamud Ali is committed to promoting land-owning documents as part of the efforts to economically empower land-owning in the county," she said
Amina warned land grabbers against deceiving residents, saying that the government will not tolerate them.
"County Government of Marsabit is committed to settling land disputes and issuing title deeds to the residents," she said
Amina revealed that more than 10,000 residents will receive the crucial documents at the end of the survey.
Areas being targeted for the survey include Lami, Sololo makutano, Butiye, Gurumesa, Manyatta, Sessi, Torbi, Maikona, Dukana, Loiyangalani, Korr, Laisamis, Manyatta Otte and Wabera.
The CECM Land Amina said for many years residents were locked in land-related conflict, adding that the county government will ensure the disputes are resolved.
"We are doing all we can to address land issues and lack of title deeds. We already started doing surveys in 14 settlement schemes," she said
Chief officer of Land Galm Guyo Rogicha said Governor Mohamud Ali is working towards ensuring that all parcels of land in the county have title deeds.
He observed that by owning the documents, land owners will be able to use them as collateral when obtaining loans in financial institutions hence empowering them economically.
He urged residents to cooperate with the surveyors in ensuring the exercise was a success.
"The county government in partnership with the national government was able to come up with a proper plan on how land survey was conducted," said Galm.
He said the ongoing survey in 14 settlement areas is part of the county government's agenda to embark on the development of the roads across the county.
"We are focusing on development that is why we are doing a survey," he said
He said that for many years Marsabit residents have been locked in land ownership conflict but the government has embarked on the distribution of vital documents.
" The government has set aside hundreds of millions of shillings to ensure residents of Marsabit benefit from the processing and distribution of title deeds. The county government already distributed more titles to land owners," he said
The chief officer assured residents of the county government's commitment to end land disputes , saying with title deeds they didn't have to live in fear of losing their land.
He called for cooperation from the residents to fast-track the process and urged them not to fall prey to false information.
"We will not give you land but register your land so that the titling process can begin," he said
He added that the department intends to help the targeted landowners secure their land expeditiously, urging residents to be patient and peaceful in the course of the exercise and ignore naysayers who are out to mislead them to derail the process.
