The County Government of Kirinyaga has commenced the process of land
tenure regularization for inhabitants of 11 select villages previously
designated as colonial villages.
Approximately a total of 91.2 hectares will be surveyed and titles issued to
the inhabitants who have been living as squatters.
The 11 villages are part of 149 colonial villages in the county that have dire
need for tenure regularization.
World Bank (WB) and Agence Française de Development (AFD) is
supporting the initiative of the County Department of Lands, physical
Planning and Urban Development through National Government’s Kenya
Informal Settlements Improvement Program (KISIP II) to plan, survey and
issue title deeds.
The earmarked informal settlements are Rwambiti, Kimunye, Ithareini,
Mukinduri, Kibirigwi, Kiangoma, Thiguku, Kagumo, Kamuiru, Ndindiruku
and Githogondo.
Governor Anne Waiguru says the regularization will provide security of
tenure for hundreds of residents who from time immemorial have not been
able to carry out any meaningful development on the land due to lack of
land ownership documents.
Waiguru has pledged support for the full implementation of KISIP
programme in the selected villages which aims at improving living
conditions and strengthen security of tenure for inhabitants.
“The ongoing land tenure regularization for people living in the colonial
villages is a huge step towards enhancing the quality of life in the informal
settlements,” she said.
Photo/ An aerial view of Ndindiruku village in Mwea Constituency
Waiguru said her administration will fast-track process of issuance of tittle
deeds to people living in all the colonial villages once all the processes are
concluded.
“The inhabitants of these colonial villages cannot wait any further, we want
to give them legal ownership of the land they occupy because it is their
right,” Waiguru said.
Already, the National Project Coordination Team (NCPT) and the County
Project Coordination Team (CPTC) have undertaken public participation
forums in the concerned wards and formed Settlement Executive
Committees (SEC) and Grievance Redress committees (GRC) in the 11
villages.
Photo/ Residents of Ndindiruki villagers follow as their chairman, Patrick Njenga briefs them on the ongoing titling process in their village.
Tenants, landowners, leaders of religious institutions, youth, people living
with disabilities, and members of community groups were among the 17
Settlement Executive Committee members instituted to be the bridge
between locals and consultants during survey and Planning.
The Governor further said that the County Government has no other
interest than to ensure that all people living in the colonial villages have
land ownership documents and are permanently settled.
“We will ensure the process is done in a fair and transparent manner
without further delay because people have waited to get tittle deeds for
very long,” the governor said.
The County Executive Committee Member for lands Physical Planning and
Urban Development, Rev. Samuel Kanjobe, underscored the need for the
elected members to ensure that they put the interest of the people ahead
and ensure that the process is steered to conclusion without conflicts.
“Our Governor want this process concluded and tittles issues as soon as
possible and therefore I request you put the interest of the people first,”
said Kanjobe.
The process also incorporated Members of the County Assembly, Chiefs
and Ward Administrators from the eleven settlements who pledged to work
together for successful implementation of the settlement program.
Partick Njenga, the Chairman of Ndindiruki village in Mwea said that the
residents were settled in the village way back in 1974 but have had no titles
ever since. He says that they have been missing out on opportunities that
require use of title deeds such as using them as collateral for school fees
loans or putting up long time investments.
Ruth Wanjiku from Thiguku village thanked the County Government for
initiating the process of enabling them to own their lands legally.
David Muriuki from Rwambiti village also applauded the process that he
said will be of great relief to the residents. He said that having not title deed
has been an impediment for smooth inheritance process where owners are
deceased. Jacinta Wairimu from the same village termed the land titling as
a great milestone that will now give them security that comes with land
ownership. She thanked Governor Waiguru for the initiative which she
termed historic.
