Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney was forced to act swiftly and thwart an upset in Isiolo County after she had gazetted Isiolo County as an adjudication area.
According to a press statement released by the ministry on Friday, November 8, Karoney stated that the gazette notice would be amended to reduce the jitters it had created in the region.
Land adjudication is the process of final and authoritative determination of the existing rights and claims of people to land.
The area Governor, Mohammed Abdi Kuti had raised concerns about the implications of the notice, stating that it would open room for irregular allocation of land to unscrupulous individuals.
He added that the gazettement would deprive communities of their land and that all land in Isiolo County would be allocated to individuals.
"The ministry held a consultative meeting with the County Government of Isiolo and leaders from Isiolo County to clarify the implications of the Ministry's declaration of Isiolo County as an adjudication area. They requested the CS to revoke the Gazette Notice," the CS stated.
Karoney agreed to amend the notice to specify the settlement areas where the legal notice would apply and that the ongoing survey and demarcation of Isiolo would not be interrupted.
She also stated that the schedule of the settlement areas would be compiled by the county government and formally submitted to the CS by Friday, November 15, 2019.
Karoney then affirmed that the ministry would collaborate with the county in processing title deeds for all private and community lands in Isiolo. She further reiterated that the government would protect the rights of all pastoralist communities in Kenya.
While speaking with Kenyans.co.ke, a source inside the County Government lauded Governor for the peaceful negotiation with the CS.
"The previous gazettement did not respect the Land's Act. The CS's decision to amend it was the best decision for everyone involved. The governor should also be lauded for the peaceful negotiation with the CS," the source seeking anonymity stated.
In Kenya, the Land Adjudication Act provides the guidelines for the land adjudication process. These involve determining and recording of rights and interests of individuals residing on registered community land for the purpose of facilitating the registration of titles.
