KIMABU COUNTY: A section of land-buying companies in Kiambu County have welcomed the planned audit of all land-buying organisations across the country.
Led by Ruiru-based Mururumo Land Buying Company and Githunguri Constituency Ranching Company, the firms expressed optimism that the exercise will help rid the sector of unscrupulous land dealers.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu announced on Monday that the Government will vet all land-buying companies across the country, adding that some of them have been involved double allocations and other land irregularities.
ONGOING REFORMS
“We want everyone including the land-buying companies to be part of the change that we are cultivating in the sector. The Government commits to remove rogue land-buying companies from business,” Ngilu said in Thika on Monday.
Mururumo Chairman Caleb Warari said the exercise will help boost the ongoing reforms in the sector.
“Vetting of land-buying companies will ensure innocent land buyers don’t fall prey to unscrupulous firms. However, the ministry should also rein in corrupt ministry officials who have played a significant role in the current mess in the land sector,” Warari said.
Githunguri Constituency Ranching Company Chairman John Maina echoed his sentiments, and called for removal of ministry officials abetting corrupt land deals.
Rogue employees
He also accused the Thika Lands registry of inefficiency, saying the company was still waiting for over 300 title deeds it applied for in March last year.
“Corruption and inefficiency among the Lands ministry officials especially at the Thika Lands registry are largely to blame for the mess in the area. If the ministry can rein in the rogue employees, then we will be on our way to realising the reforms that the sector badly needs,” Maina said.
However, Thika Lands Registrar Evans Nyakundi exonerated the Thika office from blame, saying the office is efficient and a corrupt free zone.
He said they are still carrying out inspections on the said pieces of land and promised to issue titles once the exercise is complete.
