The state waives over Sh5.3b interest accrued for SFT beneficiaries

Current situation in Lake Naivasha where water levels have risen sharply in the last couple of weeks breaking the banks, flooding nearby estates and hotels following heavy rains in the catchment areas. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The government has waived over Sh5.3 billion in interest accrued on the Settlement Fund Trustees (SFT) for thousands of beneficiaries who owe the state for over 50 years.

In total, the government has so far waived Sh5.3B of interest on the principal amount of the Sh6.2B that Kenyans owe the government over the years.

According to CS for Lands, Settlement and Housing Alice Wahome, the move was aimed at easing the pressure for millions of Kenyans in need of the requisite title deeds for their properties.

The CS said the government is owed over Sh12B of accrued interest charged on the principal amount of land transactions that date back over 40 years.

"The government is owed over Sh12B in interest earned on land transactions accrued over 40 years ago, but we have waived the interest, and the owners will pay the initial principal amount," said Wahome.

The CS said the Cabinet had so far approved a waiver of Sh5.3B of interest accrued on the principal amount of Sh6.2B that the government had eased for property ownership.

Speaking in Naivasha during a visit to the sub-county, CS Wahome called on Kenyans to prioritise the land registries to resolve land issues for better and quicker adjudication as opposed to time-limited courts.

She decried the high number of land cases in various courts, mainly on ownership and boundaries, noting that they had taken years to resolve.

"The fastest solution in resolving the issues around boundaries lies in resolving them amicably among the parties, as using the courts will take years," she said.

The CS directed a review of Lake Naivasha boundaries after reports indicated increased cases of land encroachment of the riparian land by farmers and hoteliers.

Wahome tasked the surveyor to move with speed and review the lake boundaries to root out those that had invaded the lake's riparian land.

On his part, Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo said that the government had issued a notice to the families to relocate last month, but they defied it.

He noted that the majority of those affected by the flooding were living on riparian land, adding that those affected were to blame even as the crisis deepened.

"This is nature fighting back, as the same area flooded last year, but the families relocated back after water levels dropped," he said.