NAIROBI: The National Land Commission (NLC) now wants the Ministry of Education and all educational institutions to start acquiring title deeds for their land.
NLC Chairman Muhammad Swazuri Tuesday revealed that many schools have lost their land to "grabbers".
"All schools are required to establish the status of their land even where titles have been obtained in the names of private individuals," he said.
Mr Swazuri wants the State to submit the information by March 31 as NLC investigates complaints already filed.
The move comes days after the commission launched investigations after land owned by Lang'ata Road Primary School was allegedly grabbed by a private developer.
Commission detectives visited the disputed site on Saturday as part of their investigations and commissioners were scheduled to do the same on Monday. However, the commissioners did not visit the area after alleged "interference from outside".
An officer, who sought anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told journalists at the site that a complaint had been lodged with NLC and they were in the process of putting up a caveat emptor when they learnt that the land had been fenced.
The move may halt construction of a multi-storey mall and an underground car park at the hived-off school playground.
Lang'ata Primary also lodged a formal complaint with the police last December and wrote to Nairobi City County in an appeal to have the playing field accessible to pupils on return after the teachers strike.
The controversy over the land started in 2010 about the school signboard that has now been ringed in by a three-metre high perimeter wall complete with a gate.
School officials claim the wall was hurriedly put up day and night in total disregard to the safety of pupils. It was also built on top of a sewer line that serves the school.
The developers have now resorted to threats and intimidation and are said to be using youths who are a threat to the security of pupils.
The controversy has roped in city officials who made haste in approving the development in less than a month during the December holidays.
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