This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
On May 6, 2020, the Ministry of Lands bowed to months of public pressure and partially reopened land registries across the country.
The decision comes after the Law Society of Kenya challenged the initial closure of the registries, citing a lack of notice and disclosure of reasons.
According to a public notice by Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney, the following services will be offered at the customer care centres of the registries: registration of bank charges, registration of bank discharges, registration of court orders, and verification of sureties.
Residents in Laikipia and Nyandarua counties have been protesting the closure of land registries, which they say has blocked the delivery of essential services.
One resident, Hannah Wanjiku, expressed her frustration, saying, "It is unfair to travel all the way from Kinangop to Nyahururu, spend close to Sh800, and return home without getting services."
Ms. Wanjiku's family is seeking to subdivide and sell their land to raise funds to pay her husband's hospital bill.
Land dealers have also decried the loss of businesses due to the closure of the offices, with one director stating, "The continued closure of land offices is killing our livelihood because operations have been grounded."
