The move by the Land ministry to lift the ban on the renewal of land leases is not only welcome, but also long overdue.
We aver that the move is good for the Kenyan economy. It will unlock many property deals that had remained frozen as investors were jittery about developing land whose leases had expired or were nearing expiry.
Property owners could not develop as they required leases to acquire loans from banks.
One of the clear positives in the new rules is that the government will henceforth notify owners of land of the expiry of their leases five years before the tenancy period expires.
It will do so via registered mail and also initiate physical contact to advise on the renewal should they fail to respond to the notices.
Those currently occupying the land will be given priority on expiry of the leases. We welcome the new developments since a cartel that has been colluding with Land officials has been tormenting occupants of leasehold property.
They have been descending on homes with hired goons claiming that the leases had expired and changed hands. We urge the Ministry of Land to find a long-lasting solution to this menace.
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