Nairobi: The National Land Commission (NLC) under the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIPii) is conducting a land verification exercise in Tana River County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the verification exercise covers settlements such as Hola Mission, Chewani, Wachakome, Makaburini, Kibuyu, Mwangaza, Ghalla, Malindi ya Ngwena, Jua Kali, and Bora Imani. These settlements border River Tana, which meanders in Hola town, the administrative headquarters of Tana River County. The exercise aims to align approved plans with actual site conditions by verifying survey plans, identifying social amenities, and clearly marking riparian reserves.
Riparian areas are marked at 30 meters from the highest watermark, adhering to environmental regulations and the survey act (Cap 299). The exercise commenced after a consultative meeting chaired by Tana River Deputy County Commissioner Andrew Mutua, who emphasized the importance of coordination and proper documentation for securing land tenure. He noted that land registration is crucial for strengthening land administration, promoting economic growth, social stability, and national development.
The exercise, supported by the county government and various stakeholders, is crucial for urban and rural areas, aiming to strengthen coordinated land administration. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of the verification process in confirming genuine land ownership, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, and ensuring security of land tenure.
The NLC team is tasked with confirming the planning, survey, and ownership status of plots and assets to resolve disputes before issuing land ownership documents. NLC's Principal Land Administrator, Kenneth Kiplagat, stated that they are conducting on-ground verification and validation of land parcels and beneficiary details. He emphasized that the exercise supports land governance, protects beneficiaries, and promotes orderly settlements, planning, and sustainable development in the region.
Kiplagat assured that the NLC process safeguards land tenure security by ensuring beneficiaries receive legally recognized documentation. He praised NLC's efforts in strengthening land governance through proper documentation and explained that the verification exercise focuses on confirming beneficiary lists, aligning approval plans with ground developments, assessing land availability and viability, and identifying disputes before issuing title documents.
He noted that the exercise marks an essential step toward land tenure regularization and sustainable development under the KISIP II project, focusing on verifying beneficiaries, assessing infrastructure, identifying disputes, and confirming the availability and sustainability of land parcels. The NLC is conducting onsite inspections to confirm plot boundaries, verify existing developments, and ensure conformity with approved layout plans.
Residents have welcomed the land verification and validation exercise, which aims to expedite the issuance of title deeds within designated settlement schemes. Ibrahim Wayu, a human rights activist, stressed the importance of title deeds, noting that this initiative is the first time people in the targeted settlements will receive formal land ownership documents. Wayu highlighted that the process will secure land rights, reduce disputes, and protect investments against land seizures, ultimately empowering residents to manage their land, wetlands, and the environment better.