Half of Kenyans lack title deeds, says Lands CS Karoney

Lands CS Farida Karoney (right) and CAS Gideon Mung'aro address squatters at Mikanjuni village in Kilifi County on Saturday, October 10, 2020. [Nehemiah Okwembah, Standard]

The national government has started the resettlement of more than 1,300 families on a 91-acre piece of land at Mikanjuni, Kilifi County.

This emerged as the government, through Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney, revealed that half of Kenyans don’t have land title deeds for their parcels.

According to Ms Karoney, President Uhuru is committed to solving the land problem at the Coast.

She said the land was bought from a private investor near Mtwapa town, and the government was surveying and adjudicating it for resettlement purposes.

“The land was purchased this year following a directive issued by the President in 2017. Because of the purchase, more than 1,300 families will no longer be termed as squatters,” she said.

Ms Karoney was accompanied by Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Gideon Mung’aro, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga and Kilifi Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu.

Also present during the visit to Mikanjuni village, where the leaders had gone to assess the adjudication process, were Kilifi Lands Executive Maureen Mwagovya and Member of County Assembly 

She added that the adjudication will include mapping out settlement areas, public utility spaces, roads and schools.

“There is no standard acreage for allocating the squatters and during the survey, we will make provision for social amenities,” added Ms Karoney.

Residents of Coast region have been facing challenges in owning land and the government has issued more than 70,000 title deeds in the area since 2016. By 2022, at least two-thirds of the population should have title deeds, the CS said.