This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
On December 29, 2020, Nakuru town was abuzz with activity as residents sought title deeds at Ardhi House. The conferment of city status and growing investments in the county have led to a surge in applicants seeking the legal document.
Nakuru hosts numerous settlement schemes established shortly after independence. However, until the late 1990s, a majority of the beneficiaries only held allotment letters. Prolonged disputes and lack of proper organisational structure have hindered residents' efforts to obtain the legal documents that can transform their lives.
County officials and the National Lands Commission (NLC) have formed a team to expedite the processing of title deeds. Governor Lee Kinyanjui acknowledged the growing concern over lack of security of tenure among residents, stating, “There is a growing concern over lack of security of tenure from residents. We are racing against time to unlock the backlog in title deeds issuance,”
One such case involves the disputed Ndabibi Farm residents, who acquired the land through purchase or as a retirement gift from Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) in the 1990s. The governor has given residents until July 28 to supply relevant documents to facilitate the processing of title deeds within six months.
Edward Macharia, an elder from Elburgon, was among 3,457 beneficiaries from Kasarani A, Kasarani B, and Eastleigh who received their title deeds this month after waiting for over four decades. He recalled, “It has been a tiring journey dating back to the 1970s when we resettled here. We only had allotment letters,”
However, Kuresoi South residents have faced challenges due to a caveat placed on their title deeds in the early 2000s, linked to the wanton destruction of the Eastern Mau Forest block.
