Lands ministry makes Sh2.8b in three months

Nairobi, Kenya: The Lands ministry has in the last three months realised a record revenue collection of Sh2.8 billion, Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has said.

Ms Ngilu attributed the increased revenue collections to the reforms instituted at the three-ministry records registry since May.

She said the ministry collected Sh1.17 billion last month, compared to Sh766 million collected in April, adding that Sh863 million was collected in May.

“This is just the beginning because we have been laying ground for more revenue collection. And this could even be better if we digitised operations,” she said.

However, National Land Commission (NLC) Deputy Chairperson Abigael Mukolwe disputed the figures, saying Ngilu was out to hoodwink Kenyans and challenged her to allow independent bodies to audit the figures.

“The minister has in the said period kept Ardhi House locked to Kenyans in the name of reforms. There are no reforms there other than the tents outside, which have cost us a lot of money,” said Ms Mukolwe.

Mukolwe spoke from Mombasa where NLC met MPs to discuss the proposed amendments to land laws.

Files retrieved

The ministry is aiming to raise more than Sh18 billion in this financial year, adding that 1.3 million files have been retrieved, recorded and re-shelved in the last two months.

Three registries were closed for 10 working days in May to re-organise operations, an exercise that was done by ministry staff and 300 contracted workers.

Ngilu said 10 other registries at the Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern and Nyanza regions were targeted. She said the ministry has drastically reduced the transaction period and increased the number of clients by 10 per cent.

“Initially, it took three days to apply for and get a search at the ministry, and this would only yield 55 dispatches a day. Today, it takes only one day and we dispatch 173 per day,” she said.

She also said it now takes a day to apply and get a land rent clearance certificate compared to the previous 19.

Site inspection and valuation reports now take three days, down from 20. Ngilu said this translates to 23 valuations for the same period compared to the previous nine. Endorsement of stamp duty takes only one day compared to the four previously needed.

Other sources told The Standard that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission had launched investigations into the procurement of goods at the ministry.