Why County's notice of land documents verification is causing jitters in Gilgil

Anxiety has gripped the residents of Kambi Solai and Leleshwa market centres in Gilgil ahead of the land verification exercise by the county government of Nakuru.

The residents who are holding allotment letters are apprehensive of a hidden motive for the exercise by the county government.

This follows a period of unresolved disputes with previous attempts by unknown individuals to possess the parcels of land.

Mr James Kariuki who is a resident of Leleshwa is particularly concerned with the move to have them present documents for fresh verification, yet their names are in the government systems which they have been paying rates for the said parcel of land.

According to Mr Kariuki, the previous attempts by the plot owners to get the title deeds have been frustrated by individuals, some who claimed to be government officials.

“Lack of title deeds has really affected us and what we are interested in now is to get someone to help us get them without trying to grab part of our lands. We have been here for decades and all we have seen are people who are keen on getting these parcels from us,” says Mr Kariuki.

He indicated that the land was given to the residents who owned cattle as an alternative land to keep their animals by the county council which was keen on planting trees along the highway.

“We were issued with allotment letters and since then we have been trying to acquire the titles in vain. Some of our members have put up semi-permanent homes while others have not been able to develop the plots. We hope to get the titles so that we can be able to transact with them,” says Mr Kariuki.

Ms Dorcas Wanjiku from Kambi Somali on the other hand is afraid that the verification exercise will not solve the key problems and help deliver justice for at least 216 members who are claiming plots in the area.

Speaking to Mtaa Wangu, Ms Wanjiku revealed that there are people in the area who received the allotment letters through fraud and falsehood, while the deserving members do not have the documents.

According to her, the squatters registered to be given land by the county council in 2005, only to be short-changed by their leaders who replaced genuine members with their relatives and friends.

“Allotment letters which were issued in 2007 left out the names of the genuine members and were issued to the said outsiders.”

In a bid to resolve this, the District Commissioner suspended the names and any transactions on the land in order to rectify the list. He was however transferred in 2008 before the new list of allotment letters was processed.

A new committee which Ms Wanjiku was a member made a follow up with the Ministry of lands which sent officers to survey and prepare a map with a list of new land owners.

“We submitted a list of 216 names to the ministry of lands to process the allotment letters. However, we are yet to receive feedback from them. We are afraid that the county government in its verification exercise will want to see the allotment letters that were issued in 2007 which is not correct,” said Ms Wanjiku.

She claims the plot owners have been left stranded on the land with some squatting in other people’s lands as they wait for the allotment letters from the lands office.

“The county should start by following up with the list at the lands office before carrying out the verification.”

The county government in its August 9 notice informed the public of its planned verification exercise of plots within the various market centres including Industrial area in Naivasha, Sitoito in Kuresoi North, leleshwa and Kampi Somali in Gilgil.

The exercise began on Monday and shall end on Friday. Residents are required to avail the allotment letters, ID, PIN, land rates clearance certificates and confirmation for grants in case of the deceased beneficiaries.