Kisumu cleans up land registry, eyes investors

Kisumu County has stepped up efforts to clean up its land registry to spur the growth of the real estate sector.

Governor Jack Ranguma says double allocation of land has over the years scared away potential investors, slowing down growth of the county’s property market.

The county is now working with the National Land Commission to rid its registry of fake title deeds and other irregularities that have in the past marred land allocation.

Governor Ranguma says growth in the real estate sector will bolster the county’s revenue base and create employment opportunities for the youth.

“Kisumu’s property industry is growing rapidly, but land administration is still a challenge. We have hired officials to work closely with the national government to help us clean up land records,” says Ranguma.

He also issued a notice to idle land owners to either develop the land or risk losing it to the county. Some hitherto idle parcels of land, he said, have since been developed.

Enabling environment

The Governor said cleaning up the land registry is part of the county’s efforts to create an enabling environment to attract more investments in the real estate sector. Other measures, he said, include boosting water supply in the region as well as putting up new roads and repairing old ones.

Kisumu City is rapidly expanding from the traditional central business district to outlying areas. “Kisumu has seen its major roads upgraded. We are developing an economic corridor and every business person seems interested in acquiring space to put up a business,” says Ranguma.

Hotspot

Apart from Riat, Kanyakwar is another property-investment hotspot on the city’s outskirts.

Eric Ounga, marketing manager of Ounga Commercial Agencies, says Kisumu has had haphazard development over the years, giving rise to slums in areas that have great potential for decent housing.

In recent years, Kisumu has witnessed massive growth in the housing industry, with big players like the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) setting up a Sh2.5 billion, modern shopping mall in Mamboleo.

The peri-urban parts of Manyatta, Nyalenda and Nyawita have also witnessed massive expansion as temporary structures are being demolished to pave way for permanent houses and commercial units.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma. The county is looking to improve land administration with help form the National Land Commision. (PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD)

Lake Estate Agencies are also putting up multi-million-shilling housing projects in the city.

Other new developments in the region include Ridge Park Estate, comprising four-bedroom units that are selling for Sh20 million. The University of Nairobi is also putting up a Sh700million building.