Nakuru: Residents of four informal settlements in Nakuru County will soon have secure land tenure courtesy of an initiative rolled out by the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP) phase two. The initiative, which is being funded by the World Bank and Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement (AFD) Group funds, aims at providing title deeds and lease certificates to over 1000 households, marking a significant step towards land security and economic empowerment in the informal settlements which have long been affected by land disputes and poverty.
According to Kenya News Agency, County Lands and Physical Planning Chief Officer Ms. Stella Mwaura explained that the KISIP 2-led tenure regularisation process being carried out in the informal settlements of Turi within Molo Subcounty, Kariandusi-Gitare in Gilgil Subcounty, Soweto in Njoro Subcounty, and Lagwenda in Kuresoi North Subcounty was 50 percent complete and that it was being conducted with full participation of those living in the settlements. The County official further said that the issue of land ownership, access, and rights in the county’s informal settlements had been ignored for long and needed proper attention to help address perennial land conflicts.
While noting that the Draft Local Land Use Plan for the four informal settlements had already been developed, Ms. Mwaura explained that the land tenure regularisation was being conducted in a manner that will build public trust besides yielding an orderly process, as the residents were being involved in identification, physical planning, cadastral surveying, documentation of structure owners, and registration of land rights. The Chief officer made the remarks during a workshop for County Planners and members of the County Project Coordinating Team (CPCT). The event’s objective was to review the draft plans for the four informal settlements and ensure the proposed changes reflect the needs and aspirations of the local communities.
Through the programme, Ms. Mwaura indicated that Nakuru seeks to address critical issues faced by informal settlements’ residents, offering them formal land ownership and better opportunities for growth and development. She noted that the tenure regularisation in the county was being followed closely with the upgrading of physical infrastructure to ensure a safe and secure living environment for the beneficiaries.
While emphasising the importance of formal land ownership in driving development in informal settlements, Ms Mwaura appreciated the role played by the KISIP programme, which she said had helped in the development of comprehensive land use plans for residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility purposes. While regretting that the residents in the informal settlements had lacked formal land ownership for over two decades, the County official was happy that formalising land ownership will provide residents with the ability to use their land as collateral, which is expected to open up economic opportunities and improve livelihoods. ‘By formalising land ownership, we empower our communities and unlock opportunities for growth and development,’ Ms. Mwaura stated.
Acting County Director of Physical Planning Justine Mayaka said the land tenure regularisation could lead to improved living conditions, increased investment in homes and businesses, and greater social stability in informal settlements. He noted that the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy 2024-2034 acknowledges the importance of the participation of slum residents in the tenure regularisation process. Mayaka pointed out that the Community Land Act of 2016 supports formalising land rights in informal settlements and provides a foundation for enriching the interpretation of land tenure in conjunction with other legislation. The Acting Director noted that the Local Land Use Plan was essential as it enables the county to align the informal settlements with the broader vision for sustainable growth. This alignment, he added, encompasses community interests, equitable resource distribution, and addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within each area.
The Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP 2) aims at improving living conditions in the country’s informal settlements by focusing on land tenure regularisation, urban planning, and infrastructure development. The KISIP 2-backed land tenure regularisation process involves identifying and verifying informal settlements, preparing physical plans, surveying individual plots, and issuing titles or letters of allotment. It is tasked with determining the boundaries of informal settlements, verifying the presence of residents, and creating Local Physical and Land Use Development Plans (LPLUDP) or Part Development Plans (PDP) that consider the settlement’s layout and needs. The process encompasses conducting detailed topographical surveys for engineering designs and surveying individual plots to prepare Registry Index Maps (RIMs), and preparing, registering, and issuing letters of allotment, leases, or titles to individuals or groups.