Governor Chepkwony orders immediate closure of office run by State

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso (left) flanked by Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony at a past press conference. [Willis Awandu/Standard]

Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony has ordered the immediate closure of the land surveying mapping office run by the National Government in Kericho. 

In an unprecedented move which could test the relationship between the county and National Government, Governor Chepkwony signed an executive order directing that all land survey work be carried out by the county government.

The county boss said the Kericho County Assembly had in 2015 approved the Kericho County Survey and Mapping Act and warned that no survey work would be allowed under the Survey Act (CAP 299) as has been done by some officials of the National Government in Kericho.

“I hereby order that all survey and mapping resources, including resource maps and equipment, be immediately handed over to the relevant department of the County Government of Kericho,” said Chepkwony.

In his executive order, the governor also blocked any amendments to the registry index maps without the express authority of the county government through the department of Lands and Physical Planning.

He further directed all surveyors licensed under the Survey Act (CAP 299) operating within the county to immediately register with the County Department of Lands by filing a notification form.

Governor Chepkwony further argued that the Constitution was clear that survey and mapping activities were fully in the hands of the county government and accused the national government of overstepping its mandate.

“No survey and mapping activities within Kericho County shall be undertaken unless they are in full compliance and conform to the Kericho County Survey and Mapping Act, 2015,” he added.

Chepkwony has in the past had run-ins with various agencies over land use in Kericho County in his efforts to prevent land grabbing, especially of public land.

County lands executive Barnabas Ngeno said they were set to publish new survey and mapping regulations with approval of the County Assembly within the next 60 days to guide the implementation of the executive order.