Kisumu County Assembly passes motion on land Mass survey.

 The County Assembly of Kisumu during a session recently.The Assembly yesterday passed a motion aiming at carrying out land mass survey for all the parcels of land within the entire county-File Photo.

By Dickson Odhiambo.           

 May 3, 2018.

Kisumu County Assembly passes motion on land Mass survey.

THE COUNTY Assembly of Kisumu has passed a motion aiming at carrying out land mass survey for all the parcels of land within the entire county.

The motion that was yesterday moved by Member of County Assembly representing Kisumu North Ward Elisha Jack Oraro and seconded by Central Kisumu Ward Representative Judy Ogaga was passed unanimously by the members after the debate during the session which was chaired by temporary Speaker Linet Muga.

While presenting the motion to the Assembly for discussion, Oraro said it is unfortunate that there has been minimal or no attempt at all to facilitate the residents of Kisumu County in securing title deeds which in turn has serious implication on the county’s development of the Agriculture sector as farmers are unable to access credit facilities which can be used as capital in agriculture developments.

He said this has also been able to hinder the public private partnerships {PPP} due to lack of ownerships of land parcels.

“Instead, sales agents/brokers have invaded both the rural dwellers and even in the Peri-urban and urban centers where they con people of their lands. They take advantage of especially the widows and the old in pretence that they are helping them but in the long run they change the parcels of land into their names which they later sell,” he said.

He said articles 185{2}, 186{1},187{2} and part of 2{8}{b} of the fourth schedule  of the Kenyan Constitution of 2010 provides that land survey and mapping is a component of county planning and development, and that land is the single most requirement in any meaningful development whether in the national or county Government.

Oraro said Kisumu County has majority of town dwellers being renters while majority of rural dwellers are land owners where majority don’t have title deeds showing ownership of their land.

“Article 6{c}{iii} and {vi} provides for the enactment of legislation to regulate the recognition and protection of matrimonial property as well as dependents of the deceased persons hodling interest in any land. Land issue is very emotive yet the only proof for land ownership is title deed.It is unfortunate that over 70 percent of Kisumu County residents especially in rural areas lack this vital document,” he added. 

He added that many investors who are interested even in PPP have shied away as there has been no proof of land ownership for the purpose of commitment for collaboration.

During the session, Members of the County Assembly of Kisumu who contributed to the motion urged the County Government of Kisumu to put in place a policy framework which will give right to legislation in relation to the National Government Policies.

They said the mass survey of lands should be done at the ward level as this will ensure that every land owner has a title deed or lease certificates.

After the passage of the motion, temporary Speaker Linet Muga directed the Assembly’s Committee on Land to make a follow up and ensure the issue of land mass survey in Kisumu County is carried out.

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