CS Charity Ngilu urges Meru residents to avoid court during land disputes

Meru, Kenya: Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has advised Kenyans not to go to court to settle land disputes. Ngilu said land cases are lengthy and expensive, and so alternative dispute mechanisms should be pursued.

"Some of these disputes can be solved without having to go to court," she said. She thanked the Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders who have been arbitrating in land disputes. Ngilu, speaking in Meru on Sunday after visiting various adjudication areas, said land officers are working overtime to issue 200, 000 titles within the shortest time possible.

About 200, 000 title deeds will be issued to Meru residents in the next 10 days, she said. "I am encouraged by the work going on. We have land officers on the ground and we will bring more. We want to issue 200, 000 titles in the next 10 days," added Ngilu.

Ngilu said the lands registry in Meru Central will be closed from December 1st  for reengineering process, and will reopen after 2 weeks. No services will be available during this period. She was shocked when she found a manual typewriter in the senior lands registrar's office.

"We will take this to the museum and bring in new computers in the next 10 days." Ngilu said the computers will be connected to those of the ministry's titling centre for networking purposes. She said the 183 land officers that the ministry has deployed to speed up the adjudication process, are working extra hard to deliver 200, 000 titles for Meru in the next 10 days,' she said. Speaking in Igembe, Ngilu said President Kenyatta will go to Meru in 2 weeks time to issue the titles.