UDF lawmakers support Ngilu on land audit

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

UDF MPs have backed Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu’s move to close the central registry to facilitate an audit while asking her to extend the exercise to all counties.

Led by Lugari’s Ayub Savula and Navakholo’s Emmanuel Wangwe, the MPs said they were happy with the “recovery of 10,000 missing files” at Ardhi House.

“Having been a victim of missing land files, I am happy with Ngilu’s work. I am sure most Kenyans also support her on this. I hope my file is among those recovered. The Lands CS has done a good job,” Wangwe said.

Previously sceptical

Addressing journalists in Nairobi, the legislators appealed to Ms Ngilu and the National Lands Commission (NLC) to bury the hatchet for the good of Kenyans and implementation of land reforms.

“We want Ngilu to help streamline the land sector and people responsible for hiding files arrested and prosecuted for subjecting Kenya to much agony and torture,” Savula said.

The two said banks should now be free to offer Kenyans credit using land documents as security.

“The clean-up should be extended to all land registries countrywide. When Ngilu started this war, I was sceptical and did not support her but after seeing the outcome I now support her fully. She has won my heart. UDF MPs will also block any attempt to remove her in Parliament,” Savula said.

The MPs said digitalisation and the clean-up of registries would end land rackets that have been blamed for the loss of many lives.

Ngilu ordered a 10-day audit at Ardhi House that began last week.

Meanwhile, Parliament is headed for another clash with the Executive after the parliamentary budget office rejected Treasury’s move to deprive the NLC of over Sh1.3 billion.

The House Budget Office, in a report presented before the National Assembly Lands Committee, questioned why Treasury had allocated NLC Sh606 million instead of the Sh2 billion they approved.

The report also questions Treasury’s move to increase the allocation to the Lands ministry to Sh22.6 billion from the Sh15.6 billion the House approved.

The report also said there is a possibility of a clash on functions between the ministry and NLC as both have indicated the implementation of similar issues, which include issuing of title deeds.