Four decades wait ends as Kajiado residents receive title deeds

Kajiado residents after receiving title deeds, on December 3, 2025. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

It’s a reprieve for Kajiado county town residents who have been waiting for more than four decades to have their land documents processed.

The Kajiado county government in conjunction with the National Land Commission (NLC) embarked on issuing title deeds for more than 10,000 plots, to clear the mess.

In some areas, land disputes have been the order of the day, following double allocation by the defunct Olkejuado County Council.

And since the county government did not have a budget for the titling process, they engaged consultants through a memorandum of understanding (MoU.

However, it was jubilation on Wednesday as the county government and NLC issued lease titles to residents.

Speaking during the event, NLC Chief Executive Kabale Tache Alero, said in the last few months, the county government and the Commission made an unprecedented leap by processing more than 8,000 letters of allotment, the highest number ever processed at a go.

''Today is not just a ceremony it is a moment of empowerment for thousands of families who have waited patiently for formal documentation of the land they either call home or source of livelihood. I hereby appreciate the good work done by our consultants,'' said Tache.

Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku and NLC CEO Kabale Tache Arero issue title deeds to residents on December 3, 2025. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

She said last year, the county government and NLC processed 373 letters of allotment, and it is on that basis that some of the beneficiaries were receiving their certificate of leases.

''This achievement reflects our renewed commitment to fast-tracking tenure security and supporting the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, In addition, the Commission processed 122 reservations of public land to public institutions. I call upon the rest of the counties to emulate Kajiado,'' she said.

The CEO was optimistic that the documents will provide residents with the security they need to invest confidently, access credit, and grow small enterprises.

''They are not just pieces of paper—they are tools of economic transformation that expand opportunities for the locals and uplift their households,'' she said.

''Even as we celebrate this progress, we must acknowledge that more work lies ahead. Over 35 centers within Kajiado still require urgent regularisation. Regularisation of informal settlements is essential if we are to ensure no one is left behind. It enables residents to access water, electricity, roads, sanitation, and public services. It reduces disputes and enhances better planning and orderly growth,'' added Tache.

The NLC boss also commended Kajiado county government for completing its County Spatial Plan, saying the document protects environmentally sensitive ecosystems such as Amboseli National Park, Ngong Hills, and the Odonyo Orok Forest, while providing a framework for well-coordinated development.

''Equally important is the preparation of Local Physical and Land Use Development Plans, which guide how towns and settlements expand. These plans promote orderly development, protect range lands, and ensure infrastructure is integrated efficiently,'' she said.

Governor Joseph ole Lenku applauded the residents for patiently waiting for the process, saying the ambitious plan to issue lease titles to more than 36,000 validated plots in 52 townships across Kajiado will go on.

''This is part of my vision on livable vowns where authentic land documents are issued to boost investments in our rapidly growing towns. I'm delighted that these plots will now be eligible to attract credit services from credible financial institutions,'' said Lenku.

''This milestone will empower our local economies as more investors will put their plots into productivity, and as we secure individual parcels, we must also safeguard public utility spaces schools, markets, health facilities, water points, and recreation areas. These facilities form the backbone of community life and sustainable development. They must be protected from encroachment or misuse to ensure a better future for generations to come,'' he added.