Mombasa roll out plan to deal with housing, land issues

The Nyali Primary School land that was being prepared for development by a unknown developer in Mombasa County on Thursday 2nd May 2024. The police advised the school management to chase anyone living inside the school's land and bring down the erected wall and gate. [FILE,Standard]

The Mombasa County, through the department of Land, Housing and Urban Planning has committed to ensure proper urban planning and address long-standing land issues.

Speaking at the third Estate Agents Conference in Mombasa, the County Executive for Lands, Housing and Urban Planning Mohamed Hussein Mohamed, announced that the county will be launching an ambitious initiative aimed at resolving land disputes and addressing squatter settlements.

The programme aims to secure land ownership and issue title deeds to local residents.

He stated that the county government is working closely with the national government and the Estate Agents Registration Board to promote transparency and uphold ethical standards in Mombasa's real estate sector.

This year's conference centered on redefining growth, innovation, and compliance within the real estate industry, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss technology, ethics, and regulatory developments in Kenya's property sector.

Strengthening compliance

Held biannually, the Estate Agents Conference has cemented its status as the leading forum for estate agents, real estate professionals, and industry stakeholders.

It fosters knowledge exchange, networking, and sustainable industry growth.

The event highlighted the importance of advancing information technology for agents and consumers, strengthening compliance, and promoting ethical standards to enhance market confidence.

As part of efforts to boost transparency in the sector, a registry of 100 licensed estate agent companies was officially launched.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, who was the chief guest, highlighted the government's commitment to digitisation, transparency, combating land fraud and strengthening compliance within the real estate sector.

''The government is expanding the National Land Information Management System, otherwise known as Ardhisasa, to more counties to enhance the security of land records and speed up transactions and curb fraud,'' she said.

The CS at the same time issued a stern warning to individuals encroaching on public land and government officials involved in issuing fraudulent title deeds.

She added that the Ardhisasa platform includes security features such as phone notifications to landowners when someone attempts to access their records to reduce fraud.