Team formed to spearhead school titling plan

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed at a past function.(File, Standard)

A team to fast track issuance of school title deeds has been formed even as senior Ministry of Education officials are missing from the list.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and Farida Karoney of Lands appointed a 15 member multi-agency working group to spearhead the process.

Sylvester Mulambe will lead the team whose membership comprises of Alice Kiongora, Martin Andati, Stephen Odongo Makana, Clarah Chemutai, Alfred Mwanzia, Weldon Maritim, Polly Gitimu Wanjiku, Stephen Gichana Mayaka, Edith Olando, Mary Ngundo, Caroline Wanjiku Gaita, Silvester Osondo and Meshak Odima.

Also appointed is political analyst Gabriel Muthuma Warigi, raising questions over his role in the sensitive process.

The names are contained in a gazzette notice dated November 1, 2018.

The complete list comprises five members each from the Ministry of Education, Lands and the National Lands Commission (NLC).

Questions were however raised over the missing names of top Ministry of Education officials critical to the process.

The Director General of Education Elyas Abdi Jillaow, the director secondary and tertiary education Paul Kibet and director quality assurance Pius Mutisya are missing from the list. 

Insiders said absence of either of these officials might dent credibility of the outcome of the process.

Dr Mulambe Wednesday said the team is yet to start work to ensure schools title deed issue is resolved following directive of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“We are yet to have our first meeting to have a common way forward,” said Dr Mulambe.

He said that the timelines of the assignment are not yet clear.

“The complexity of the assignment makes it a bit hard to fix time because it is not one stop shop business. Many factors will play to fix timelines,” said Dr Mulambe.

The details emerged as top Ministry of Education, Lands and the Church officials held the first meeting last month to actualise the directive of the president.

Uhuru directed Ministry of Education to resolve the sponsorship issue and allow church to run their institutions, including ownership of land.

“I want you to ensure that you resolve that sponsorship issue,” Uhuru said, in reference to all faith based institutions.

Uhuru issued a one-week ultimatum to the Ministry of Land ‘to restore all church-owned school land to its rightful owners.’

Amina said earlier that the Government is making every effort to secure public interest that lies in the country’s learning institutions.

“It is for this reason that the Ministry of Education, together with the Ministry of Lands, are transforming the Multi-Agency Working Group on School Titling into a standing committee, so as to fast-track the process that began in 2016,” said Amina.

She said that Ministry will not relent in its push to ensure schools are issued tittles.

“We will ensure that the schools that were established by our forefathers and foremothers as well as many well wishers do not fade into the sunset under our watch,” said Amina.

The CS asked anyone laying claim to ownership of school land to come forth.