Lands Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has blamed unknown politicians for inciting Kenyans against the titles deeds being issued by the Jubilee government.
Kaimenyi said certain politicians are inciting locals that the title deeds being issued by the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led government are fake.
“We have processed over 2.4 million title deeds in the last four years, but majority of these titles are still uncollected at the lands offices,” said Kaimenyi.
“It is very unfortunate that we have politicians, who go round the country lying to Kenyans that Uhuru’s title deeds are not genuine.”
For example, Kaimenyi said, Uhuru issued over 5,000 title deeds to the squatters of the controversial 930-acre Waitiki farm in Likoni in January, but only 3,000 titles have been collected.
In Kwale County, Kaimeyi said over 28,000 titles deeds have been processed, but over 10,000 titles have remained uncollected at the lands offices.
“In some places of this country, over 90 per cent of the title deeds processed have not been collected. This is due to politicians who incite the locals,” said Kaimenyi
He was speaking when he toured the Mombasa County Lands Registry located the Uhuru na Kazi building to see the progress made in digitization of land documents.
Kaimenyi asked the Mombasa County Commissioner Evans Achoki and the Lands officers in the region to organize to public meetings to issue out remaining title deeds.
“You need to hold sensitization meeting and organize a meeting or rally where you will issue out processed title deeds to the residents,” said the CS.
He said the Jubilee government is committed to ensure they surpass the three million titles deeds it had targeted to issue to Kenyans within its first five years in power.
At the same time, Kaimenyi said they will not tolerate cartels in the land offices.
“We cannot afford to be seen as a country of kitu kidogo (bribery). I put on notice all those involved to stop immediately because we shall come for them,” warned Kaimenyi.
The Lands Ministry has announced radical changes within its department, which will see over 3,200 staff in the Ministry transferred to curb corruption.
“We will be carrying out transfer within the Ministry. However, not everyone will be affected, it is only in areas we believe there is weakness,” said Kaimenyi.
On promotion, he said, only officers who qualified to be promoted will receive their letters.