Commission to vet all land leases

  

National Land Commission chairman Mohamed Swazuri addresses local outside Kwale district land offices yesterday. Photo/ Alloys Musyoka

Tuesday, June 25, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY CHARLES MGHENYI -

THE National Land Commission will inspect all expired land leases issued during and after the colonial period.

Commission chairman Mohamed Swazuri said the leases issued in 1913 are expired.
He said they will look into all titles deeds to determine if the land owners on lease holds should return them back to the government or continue to posses them.
“We have the mandate to decide whether to re-new or recall these leases which have come to an end after the expiry period,” he said.
Swazuri said the lease titles can only be extended if the owner asks for an extension but the final decision remains with the commission.
Over the weekend, Kwale county governor, Salim Mvurya said he has information that some large parcels of land in Kwale which were acquired through lease holds have since expired.
He hinted out that he will work closely with the NLC to see that the titles are either revoked or not renewed so that the land goes back to the hands of citizens.
“There are big portions of land owned by the absentee land lords in Kwale. We want the National Land Commission to either revoke these titles or cancel their renewals,” he said.
Swazuri on the other hand said there are possibilities that all idle land would be returned back to the public when the commission determines the leases have expired or acquired illegally.
However, he said the process of going through all the titles will take some time because the land parcels were not acquired at the same time and period.
“Not all leases were acquired in 1913, we will only consider those which their time has come to an end for possible return to the public hands,” he said.
He added that investors who have genuine course on these land and sort to reapply for renewal of the leases might be considered by the commission.
A few weeks ago NLC said they will issue a letter to revoke the title deeds of the controversial Kisite Mpunguti island at the south coast.
Swazuri said they arrived at the decision after the 14-day public complaints notice over the island came to an end and only the Kenya wild services showed up to prove ownership.
The swiss investor, Alessandro Torriani who had advertised the land for sale never appeared before the commission to lodge his complains within that given time.
Torriani had earlier claimed ownership of the island on a 99-year lease hold.
The chairperson said KWS will soon be declared the official owners of the Island and this is is seen as the first major step of the commission in fighting the land injustices in the country.
http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-125532/commission-vet-all-land-leases