Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney differed with Environment and Natural Resources counterpart Keriako Tobiko over Mau Title deeds.
The two ministers contradicted each other over the legality of title deeds issued to those claiming land in the forest after the government took the decision to evict settlers.
While appearing before a joint sitting of the National Assembly committees on Lands and Environment on the variation of 4,607 hectares of Mt Elgon forest Karoney faulted Tobiko, stating the process of invalidating a title deed was clear.
“The status of Mau titles is what we are looking at within the government.
There is a way of cancelling a title. I cannot just announce that they are fraudulent,” CS Karoney remarked.
Appearing before the Environment Committee last week, Tobiko had stated that the titles in possession of the evictees "are just pieces of paper because they were issued fraudulently”.
The contradictory statements by the two Cabinet secretaries caught the committee members by surprise where the Environment Committee chairman Kareke Mbiuki declared that the ministers are confused.
“We are at a loss because your colleague has already made up his mind. Is his ministry part of the team you are talking about?” Mbiuki asked.
The Lands Cabinet Secretary chose not to give an answer.
“I wish your counterpart in Environment was a bit conservative with his words. What we know is that title deeds are not wooden or metallic,” Mbiuki remarked.
He further added that the panel should find a way of penalising ministers who mislead House committees.
