Mr Muhammed Swazuri, the National Land Commission chairman. PHOTO | FILE
The National Land Commission (NLC) revoked 434 title deeds following a review of 1,203 complaints received in the year to June 2014.
The commission, however, regularised 120 title deeds after determining whether the particular land parcels were illegally or irregularly acquired.
“The commission will publish the determinations for the remaining (complaints) after they are concluded,” Muhammad Swazuri, the NLC chairman said in the commission’s books of accounts for the financial year ending June 2014.
Dr Swazuri said during the period under review, the commission received 172 investigation cases, which were referred to it by government agencies, public institutions, private citizens, law firms and walk-in complainants. “Out of the 172 cases, 72 were investigated and concluded successfully,” Dr Swazuri said.
He said some of the major investigative achievements include the revocation of grants to 15 ranches in Lamu County which were illegally acquired, the restoration of Lang’ata Primary School playground and the revocation of the Rwanda Embassy property title deed in Mombasa.
A land audit ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta this year revealed that 500,000 acres of land meant for the construction of the Lamu port project had been grabbed by individuals between 2011 and 2012.
The land was allocated illegally to 22 private entities. In directing the audit, Mr Kenyatta said most of the illegally acquired land was within the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport corridor where Kenya, in partnership with its neighbours, plans to put up a modern port, a road and an oil pipeline.
Mr Kenyatta revealed that 13 out of the 21 berths for the Lamu port had been allocated to grabbers.
The Lang’ata Primary School playground grab case was prominently highlighted in the media after tear gas canisters were lobbed at protesting pupils and activists. The land reverted to the school.
In his report to the auditors, Dr Swazuri said a number of land parcels were recommended for further investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission with a view of restoring them to their original status.
These include the Kiunga Marine Park in Lamu, the Kabete Veterinary Services land in Nairobi and the Kenya Agricultural land in Naivasha.
Others are the Mombasa Road buffer zone in Nairobi spanning from South C to North Airport Road and 196 government houses allocated irregularly in Nyeri and Karatina.
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