We're paying for past mistakes on land, DP Ruto says

Deputy President William Ruto

Poor planning by previous regimes led to chaos in the land sector, Deputy President William Ruto has said.

Mr Ruto said uncontrolled rise of informal settlements, abnormal cost of land, abuse of riparian areas and water towers were as a result of poor planning.

Speaking when he launched the National Land Use Policy, the DP noted the country was paying the price of lack of a clear road map on how the resource would be efficiently used by future generations.

“Mediocre planning, lack of vision and incompetence are a threat to our development the same way corruption is,” he observed.

Also, informal settlements have undermined expansion of infrastructure and other forms of development.

Building sewerage systems and road networks in urban areas has become difficult because of the many unplanned buildings standing in the way.

He cited Nairobi's Eastlands where construction of roads is hampered by settlements that came up before urban planning was introduced.

“It is more difficult to build roads now unlike before because many unplanned settlements have sprouted up,” said Ruto at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi. 

The new policy launched yesterday will guide the Lands ministry in demarcation.