Cotu lauds State move to cancel titles

Kenya: The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has commended President Uhuru Kenyatta's decision to revoke 500,000 title deeds acquired 'illegally' by 22 entities in Lamu County.

The workers' body said the President's move was timely and should be repeated in all the 47 counties in cases where public land "had been unlawfully allocated".

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli reiterated that land was an emotive issue as clearly spelt out in Agenda Four in the National Accord that formed the Grand Coalition government after the botched 2007/2008 presidential polls.

"Land is a sensitive subject in Kenya. In the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Agenda, land was an item for reforms.

"Cotu welcomes the move and supports the position the President has taken," he said.

The Cotu boss lamented that land grabbers and speculators had made it impossible for Kenyans to own land in their own country.

He cited South Africa, whose government, he explained, reviewed and made redistribution and land tenure system a more decentralised process.

He added that in countries like Italy, the acquisition of land involved vigorous processes.

Atwoli called on the President to extend the revocation exercise to places where public land had been grabbed and name the individuals involved.