The Nairobi City County has said it will assume the role of an independent arbitrator in unlocking the stalemate between the Kirima family and occupants of its Njiru land.
It has said it will supervise the processes to ensure a smooth, sensitive and humane transfer of ownership and occupancy in line with the existing laws.
“The occupants express readiness to engage in negotiations with the family to advance the resolution of the underlying land issues,” a statement issued Thursday by acting county secretary Patrick Analo reads.
Analo also outlined measures to be undertaken to address administrative and urban planning challenges.
These are topographical surveys depicting the settlements as built, submission of subdivision plan for approval by the county and submission for request for change of use for both titles to the county.
Others are surveys as per the approved scheme, determination of fair market value of the land for compensation purposes, issuance of ownership documents, submission of building plans for regularization and valuation for rating.
“The importance of undertaking this exercise is to protect the sanctity of title and safeguard property rights while addressing issues such as loss of land revenue, poor infrastructure and service facilities, public health and safety issues, haphazard urban development and economic inefficiencies in land use and development,” the statement further reads.
The county has further convened a meeting of both parties to be held on January 15.
On Wednesday, Governor Johnson Sakaja reaffirmed his commitment to stand with the Kirima land occupants as he vowed to bypass brokers he said are stumbling blocks in the negotiation process.
He spoke when he held a meeting with the representatives of the lands.
Sakaja said as a county they will only deal directly with the Kirima family in settling the matter on the purchase of the plots being occupied by the settlers.
According to the county boss, the particular individuals purporting to be the administrators of the property have continued to weigh down the urgent resolution of the problem.
“For us, we are dealing with the family which the courts said are the owners. The owner is represented by the lawyers. These other people we don’t know who they are, they are not lawyers, they are not appointed agents,” he said.
The family, he said, has been willing to have the protracted issue addressed once and for all but the individuals were influencing them.
“Sometimes when you talk to them you find they are good people, they are humane but they are being incited and misled by people looking for a commission,” Sakaja said.