Few Kenyans take action against land grabbing, new study shows

Land Development and Governance Institute Executive Director Mwenda Makathimo speaks during a media briefing on February 24, 2016. PHOTO | ROBERT NGUGI |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By LYNET IGADWAH, ligadwah@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

Findings

• 85 per cent of land grab witnesses remain mum, posing a challenge in curbing the encroachment and illegal acquisition of public land across the country.
• Study finds that 59 per cent of managers of public institutions knew about the size of their land but did not have documentation to prove ownership.
• Only seven counties have a form of inventory of public land and only Kajiado County has its inventory on a Geographic Information System (GIS).

Majority of Kenyans who witness public land being irregularly or illegally acquired take no action against the perpetrators of the vice, a new survey shows.

A report by the Land Development and Governance Institute (LDGI) indicates that 85 per cent of land grab witnesses remain mum, posing a challenge in monitoring and curbing encroachment and illegal acquisition of public land across the country.

“There is need for a systematic campaign by citizens against land grabbing if the vice has to be brought to an end,” said Mwenda Makathimo, LDGI executive director.

He was speaking Wednesday during the launch of the survey dubbed 'Status of public land management in Kenya'.

The study, which was carried out between September 15 and October 2, 2015, collected samples from 21 of the country's 47 counties.

It established that 59 per cent of managers of public institutions knew about the size of their land but did not have documentation to prove ownership.

This, Mr Makathimo said, created a window for encroachment from squatters, private developers and cultivation of the land parcels without prior authorisation.

Digitization

The National Lands Commission (NLC) - which has been in office for four years - is mandated to make an inventory of all public land.

The study however established that only seven counties have a form of inventory of public land and only Kajiado County has its inventory on a Geographic Information System (GIS).

Mr Makathimo said that lack of a digitised inventory means that public land remains at a high risk of being illegally acquired.

READ: 434 title deeds revoked after audit

In January 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed that all public schools acquire tittle deeds to avert encroachment on their land.

As at last month, only 7,000 of the 32,000 schools countrywide had the documents, according to NLC chairman Mohammed Swazuri.

The Lang’ata Primary School playground grab case prominently featured in the media after tear gas canisters were lobbed at protesting pupils and activists in January last year. The land was later reverted to the school.