Kwale County Lands Registry office show concern over uncollected title deeds

By TOBIAS CHANJI

Kwale County: Officials at the Kwale County Lands Registry office have complained that residents are reluctant to collect their title deeds even after the government announced they had been issued.

“We have many uncollected title deeds. We have addressed this issue in public barazas and through the provincial administration but residents have not acted,” said the Kwale Lands Registry officer Evans Mwaruwanga.

According to him, about 5,000 title deeds are still uncollected, some from as long ago as former President Kibaki’s tenure. Ignorance among residents and cultural practices have been blamed for failure to collect the documents.

“Some think it’s not important as they still have their ancestral land, with or without the deeds,” said Mwaruwanga adding residents have turned a deaf ear to land succession issues.

“Some chiefs have not been transparent, especially about recommending family members for land inheritance. Later, some people complain of being left out,” he explained.

The officer also warned against selling land as a quick way of getting cash. He said residents should regard land as a production resource. Mwaruwanga also raised a red flag on the tendency to sell the same land twice or thrice, which has caused confusion.

Genuine occupants

Land problems in Kwale are massive, and as most land communal, many see no need to secure it or get title deeds. “People are not maintaining boundaries neither are they respecting access routes,” Mr Mwaruwanga told The Standard.

Several land and settlement schemes are also largely affected with pending cases to establish genuine owners. “Some have been pending since I came here three years ago,” said Mwaruwanga.

The schemes affected are Mbuguni Phase 1 and 2, Macknon Road Phase 1 and 2, Ramisi Kinondo Phase 1 and 2, Ng’ombeni and Saphalwa.