The government has moved to repossess land grabbed from two schools in Nairobi and Mombasa Counties while at the same time putting on notice those sitting on public property.
Land and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said measures have been put in place to recover two parcels of land belonging to Nyali Secondary School in Mombasa and Lavington Primary School in Nairobi from private ownership.
For Nyali Secondary School, the CS said the files to establish that the land had been grabbed are ready and that the Ministry is ready to move in and repossess the land, while for Lavington Primary School, documentation is in the last stages and will also move swiftly to recover the land.
“I have two cases ready on my desk one on Nyali Secondary in Mombasa, where some private developers have put up buildings on school land. Let me tell those people who have the title deed for that land that in the coming days, I’m coming to Mombasa to recover that land. I will also be moving to Lavington Primary for the same exercise,” she said.
The CS spoke in Thika, Kiambu County during an impromptu meeting at the lands registry.
At the same time, Wahome said her Ministry has embarked on the process of protecting public land from grabbers through having data of all government land across the country.
“There is a circular from the Head of Public Service requiring all departments and agencies to provide records of their land to the Lands Ministry for verifications and review. Those whose land has been grabbed should present the cases to the Ministry so that we can accelerate investigations together with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for speedy recovery,” she said.
The CS at the same time instructed school heads to report to her office any cases of attempted grabbing of school land, which she said has become an easy target for grabbers.
“We also urge members of the public to protect and recover public land that and been grabbed by private entities,” she said.
Wahome said her Ministry has embarked on efforts to seal corruption loopholes in all the land registries in the country in efforts to boost revenue collection.
She cited Thika Lands Registry, which she said expects to triple its collection from Sh86 million in 2022, to about Sh300 million this year.
“This will be replicated in all the Lands registries across the country. Our aim is to weed out corruption, enhance efficiency in operations and boost revenue collection,” she said.
By Muoki Charles