Cabinet freezes land lease renewal, wants grabbers arrested

The government has frozen renewal of land leases in a bid to rein in cartels that are forging ownership documents and renewing others illegally.

The Cabinet has also directed Interior Secretary Joseph Nkaissery to immediately arrest and prosecute individual found forging land ownership documents.

“The Cabinet was concerned that there has been an emergence of cartels who are forging land ownership documents and renewing leases illegally,” a brief from State House said.

Cases of brazen land grabbing have recently hit the headlines, with an interwoven and a complex web of cartels taking over people’s property with utmost impunity.

LAND GRABBERS

In Nairobi, the cartels have been taking undeveloped lands, and sometimes bringing down homes, in broad daylight.

In a meeting held on Thursday, the Cabinet directed Lands Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to stop any renewal of leases until the system is streamlined.

“(This will) ensure that priority is given in renewal of leases to hose occupying the land and in the event that they do not wish to renew the land in question, the land will revert to the government,” the statement said.

The Cabinet also asked striking doctors to "show compassion” and return to work as their grievances were being looked into.

DOCTORS' STRIKE

The doctors have been on strike for 17 days now, demanding a 300 per cent pay rise as part of the implementation of a 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

They have said that they will only resume work if the negotiated document is implemented in full.

“The Cabinet expressed great concern on continued suffering by Kenyans following the doctors’ strike,” State House said.

“In this regard, the Cabinet urged the doctors to return to the negotiating table so that an agreement can be reached in earnest.”

The Cabinet also approved the Nairobi International Financial Centre Bill to be submitted to the National Assembly.

OXFAM HQs

“The primary purpose of setting up the NIFC is to develop an efficient and globally competitive financial services industry that will contribute to the overall economy and drive the high levels of savings and investments that Kenya needs to achieve the economic growth targets as envisioned under Vision 2030,” the Cabinet said.

Also approved in the meeting was a progress report on the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal regulations, the President’s Awards Bill that will provide for guidelines for the State to help marginalised to access training and employment.

The National Trade Policy, which also got the ministers' nod., will ensure coordination of trade between county and national government.

In its bid to increase its ranking in the Ease of Doing business Index, the Cabinet said it was on the right track to “the country attain its objective of being among the top 50 globally in the next two years.”

The Cabinet also approved the hosting of Oxfam International Headquarters in Kenya, East African Community protocol on cooperation of meteorological services, The Hague Convention on Private International Law, as well as the African Charter of Statistics.