Why settlers are not keen to hand over title deeds

The ongoing Mau evictions have been blamed for the lack of interest among settlers to surrender their title deeds. Only 15 documents have been received since the appeal was made three weeks ago.

On Tuesday, the government said moving settlers out of the Western Mau Complex might have discouraged villagers from returning their title deeds.

Nakuru district lands registrar Daniel Nyantika said the handing in of the papers had been “overtaken by events in the Mau”, adding that they had, however, not lost hope.

Still appealing

“We do not know what is happening but we are still appealing that they return them,” he said. Most of the title deeds surrendered were from villagers living in the Likia settlement scheme, which is part of the larger Mau Complex.

The government expected the settlers to return their title deeds to pave way for scrutiny of the documents and compensation of the holders upon vetting. This has, however, not gone down well with the settlers who insist that everyone with a title deed should be properly compensated.

A 14-day notice issued by the government for the settlers to leave the Mau in the first phase of the eviction programme ended on Monday.