State issues over 33,000 title deeds in settlement area

Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

The government has issued 33,000 title deeds to residents in 13 settlement schemes.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui who attended the event at Kabarnet Museum on Friday, said the settlement schemes, covering 31,031.2 hectares, have been demarcated with 2,301 settled in Sabatia and Perkerra.

“The government is committed to issuing titles to all the residents who qualiy without discrimination, however here in Baringo we have challenges in a few areas such as in Mochongoi where settlement schemes were established in the gazetted forest,” he said.

He announced the completion of adjudication of 100 sections and had processed 66,793 title deeds, covering 292,888.10 hectares.

The event was attended by County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa, Governor Stanley Kiptis, Woman MP Gladwell Cheruiyot and land officials.

Chelugui noted that some parts of Tiaty Sub County were under demarcation and survey which will be completed in the next financial year.

“We have issued 2,512 title deeds in Mogotio with 28,770 in Baringo Central and 2,547 in Baringo North, in Tiaty 4,000 parcels of lands and title deeds will be ready in the next financial planning,” Chelugui said.

He appealed to the residents who are on community land to consult with the county government and adjudication office on guidelines of land survey and adjudication under the new community Land Act of 2016.

The CS noted that the government was consulting with the local communities and leaders for degazettement of sections of the forest that were inhabited.

He added that the governments would fast-track adjudication.

As a way of fighting cartels within the lands sector, the CS said that the government had introduced digitisation.

He told the youth to help their parents in protecting the title, instead of killing or sending them to homes to inherit the land.