Nakuru: A land verification and validation exercise has begun in Bahati and Dundori Trading Centres, to authenticate land ownership and facilitate the issuance of title deeds. The exercise is part of a tenure regularization process and is being overseen by the County Government of Nakuru’s Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development. Once completed, over 1,000 plot owners will be issued with title deeds.
According to Kenya News Agency, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development John Kihagi stated that the initiative aims to enhance land digitalization and streamline land registration processes. He emphasized that this was a critical step in resolving long-standing land ownership issues in the two centres. Mr. Kihagi indicated that the verification process seeks to confirm the physical location and allotments of Bahati and Dundori plots to ensure accuracy and legitimacy in title deed issuance, a move expected to spur economic growth in Bahati Sub-County.
Spatial Milestone Kenya has been contracted by the county government to undertake the final phase of technical verification and mapping of the two trading centres. Mr. Kihagi emphasized that beyond securing land rights and preventing future disputes, the issuance of titles would serve as a foundation for economic empowerment, enabling access to credit, attracting investment, and facilitating development projects.
The CECM reiterated Governor Susan Kihika’s administration’s commitment to issuing title deeds to all residents. ‘Under the leadership of Susan Kihika and in collaboration with other government agencies, the county administration is dedicated to facilitating title deed acquisition for squatters and settlers across Nakuru,’ Mr. Kihagi stated. He urged residents to take advantage of the exercise to verify their land records, noting that the initiative aims to address long-standing land ownership disputes in the county.
Mr. Kihagi said he was optimistic that title deeds will now help check land grabbing and end land disputes. He said land security will be ensured and disputes drastically reduced since owners will now have title deeds. He appealed to residents who will get the documents to keep them in safe custody.
‘To ensure transparency and thoroughness, committees representing each of the two trading centres have been formed to work alongside government officials in verifying land claims and protecting residents’ rights. This effort includes identifying and securing essential amenities, such as schools and markets, to benefit the entire community,’ Mr. Kihagi elaborated.
The CECM indicated that the initiative, spearheaded by Governor Kihika’s administration in collaboration with the National Government, is focused on expediting land settlement while safeguarding essential public utilities within communities. Mr. Kihagi noted that the families from the two trading centres have suffered as they have been unable to access financial loans to develop their land since the 1980s due to a lack of collateral.
‘A title deed is not only proof of ownership but also a catalyst to economic empowerment as it can be used to get loans,’ noted Mr. Kihagi. He said issuance of titles will offer security of land tenure that is pivotal in opening up the area for commercial ventures and precisely in real estate. The CECM noted that the area has lagged behind owing to informal occupation of land by locals as they could not leverage economic growth due to lack of relevant papers.
The region has turned into a slum due to the semi-permanent houses built there as the owners cannot construct permanent ones due to a lack of ownership documents. Nakuru hosts numerous settlement schemes established shortly after independence. Until the late 1990s, a majority of the beneficiaries only held allotment letters.
Prolonged disputes and lack of proper organizational structure have remained a major challenge on the resident’s clamour for the legal documents that have the potential of transforming lives. A team of officials from the county’s Lands Department and the National Lands Commission (NLC) has been formed to expedite the processing of the title deeds. ‘There is a growing concern over the lack of security of tenure from residents. We are racing against time to unlock the backlog in title deeds issuance,’ said the CECM.
Mr. Kihagi indicated that due to many land cases pending in courts, the County government had trained mediators to help resolve the disputes and hasten the issuance of title deeds to residents. He said most land cases can be solved through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as opposed to filing court cases. This, he said, will ensure the ongoing titling programme benefits more residents. Statistics from the courts in the region indicate that at least 50 percent of cases involve land.
Chief Officer for Lands and Physical Planning, Ms. Stella Mwaura reiterated that this was the final verification stage before the issuance of title deeds. She expressed appreciation to the County administration for allocating the necessary resources to resolve the long-standing land challenges affecting residents of both trading centres. Ms. Mwaura also appealed to all plot owners to take advantage of this final opportunity to verify their documents, stressing that no additional verification rounds will be conducted.