NLC gives county land management boards powers

County land management boards are now responsible for allocating public land, renewing leases among other tasks, under new guidelines published in the latest edition of the Kenya Gazette.

It means that investors and developers who want to put up property in counties have to formally apply to the boards for approval.

In the applications, they will have to clearly indicate their intention — whether it is land subdivision, change of user, extension or removal of leases, reclamation, amalgamation or conversion — before the boards can approve their plans, according to the gazette notice.

The boards’ mandate will include dispute resolution through verification of land ownership documents and handling oral and written submissions from concerned parties.

The notice was published on Friday by National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri.

Dr Swazuri said the boards would have the full mandate to handle all land issues in counties.

The notice contains guidelines directing the boards in the management of public land and processing of development applications.

“By adhering to these practice guidelines derived from the relevant legislation on land, we expect the boards to carry out their mandate in a very professional, transparent and rational manner.

“Land developers, investors and Kenyans will now benefit efficiency and fairness in matters relating to management of public land,” Dr Swazuri said.

EXTENSION OF LEASES

Leaders have been calling for an end to extension of leases to multinational corporations and individuals who acquired huge chunks of land.

However, the Lands commission has stated that such land reverts to the community through the county government, once their leases expire.

Early this year, Dr Swazuri said the boards would be operational by the end of June to address issues at the grassroots.

He said secretaries had been deployed to the boards and the commission was waiting for county assemblies to complete vetting members of the bodies.

A recent study revealed that the commission’s visibility in the grassroots was wanting.

The survey, which was commissioned by the Land Development and Governance Institute, showed that majority of Kenyans did not understand the role of the NLC and its relationship with the Ministry of Lands.

It further found that 93 per cent of the respondents had not interacted with the commission, while 67 per cent did not understand its mandate.

“That shows the amount of work the commission needs to do to get the public aware of its mandate and have the public involved,” said Mr Mwenda Makathimo, the institute’s executive director.