CS Yatani issues 10,000 title deeds to Marsabit residents

President Uhuru Kenyatta has intensified issuance of title deeds before he retires after the August poll

Speaking at Karare trading centre in Marsabit County where he issued more than 10,000 land ownership documents to Saku constituents, National Treasury CS Ukur Yattani said President Kenyatta was keen on addressing historical land injustices before he leaves office.

“I have been sent here by President Uhuru Kenyatta who has been having your interests at heart to bring you these land title deeds as an assurance that he is committed to ending the historical land injustices before he leaves office,” CS Yatani said.

In Marsabit, swathes of land are still communally owned thus constantly triggering inter-ethnic administrative land boundaries conflicts.

The CS explained that it was only through the issuance of title deeds to individuals and communities that would address the historical land injustice.

The CS lauded the process saying it would also spur economic development and appealed to the residents to use the deeds prudently.

He underscored the benefits of the residents possessing land title deeds such as minimization of land disputes with neighbouring communities, and easy access to bank loans as it is used as collateral and had high value attached to them.

He added that possession of land title deeds by the residents would ensure that they carry out long-term investments on their land without any interference.

Also, they could lawfully lease their land to earn extra income without hindrances.

Further, the residents, the majority of whom are pastoralists were urged to begin placing value on crop farming as a key step towards enhancing food security to avert endemic starvation commonly associated with the region.

He explained that Marsabit County was on the pathway to benefitting from land regularization such as planning, survey and title deed issuance since the land adjudication officers had been sent to the county thus cutting the cost of traveling to Isiolo to acquire the documents.

CS Yatani who hails from Marsabit asked the land adjudication officers to ensure only those who deserve the land ownership documents obtained them.

Noting that land is one of the emotive issues in the region; any miscalculation in the title deeds issuance could easily trigger inter-tribal conflicts.

He explained that after issuing the title deeds in Marsabit he would proceed to Isiolo and Samburu counties.

Other cabinet secretaries had also been sent on a similar mission of ensuring that citizens obtained land title deeds across Kenya.

Marsabit County Commissioner Paul Rotich cautioned the residents against selling their land at throw-away prices after they had been issued with the title deeds.

Haphazard sale of the land ownership documents would derail the government’s efforts to resolve the historical land injustices in the county, he said 

Mr Rotich assured the residents of President Kenyatta’s commitment to addressing the administrative land boundaries problems in the county.

He added that title deed issuance was also the government’s effort to address abject poverty among the residents.

“It is my appeal to you not to sell the title deeds just like we have had reports of some Kenyans selling them immediately they were given by the government. The acquisition of this document is a big step for you to escape the chains of enslaving poverty,” Mr Rotich said.

Karare resident Samuel Leruk also lauded the government for issuing title deeds in the region.

He however appealed to the State to help Karare ward residents who resided within Marsabit National Park to be helped to get the land ownership documents.

The national government in collaboration with the devolved unit began title deed issuance in Marsabit in January 2020 which saw at least 2010 residents get the documents in the first phase.