Don't give land grabbers access to public utilities

The move by the National Land Commission (NLC) to save school land targeted by grabbers is commendable, given the rate at which unscrupulous individuals are targeting public property.

While it is the duty of the Ministry of Education to ensure that all educational institutions acquire title deeds for lands registered to them, such documents sometimes don't guarantee security where corruption and impunity are allowed to hold sway.

News that part of land that belongs to Langata Primary School was hived off with the approval of some government officials is a bad indication of where our country is headed. The connivers ought to be behind bars.

Not long ago, a District Officer led armed administration police officers in a foul mission to defend a grabber who had targeted land that belongs to Embakasi Girls High School.

It took the extraordinary bravery of the principal backed by her students to defeat the aggressors.

Ours is a society under siege from crooks. That is why greedy private developers can get away with murder when substandard buildings collapse and take away innocent lives.

Title Deeds are important, but the documents must be fortified with tough rules to be respected. Land grabbers should be punished heavily to deter others with similar thoughts.

Public utilities, among them land meant for schools, are a nation's legacy to posterity that must be jealously guarded. The Government should not watch as crooks enjoy free reign of terror.

The Jubilee government ought to borrow a leaf from the Narc regime that brought down private properties worth billions, which were put up on grabbed land set aside for the Eastern bypass.

Former Minister for Environment John Michuki redeemed sections of the Nairobi River by specifying tough rules and insisting that they be followed.

The Government can do the same with public property and ensure posterity of our nation.