Homa Bay: Homa Bay County is facing a significant challenge with 18,189 uncollected title deeds, as reported by County Land Registrar Edward Bosire. Bosire highlighted that a lack of information has led to this backlog, with many locals unaware of the collection process.
According to Kenya News Agency, among the uncollected title deeds, 588 belong to women, 119 are for public utility, and the remaining are owned by men. Bosire pointed out that land ownership illiteracy and unresolved land issues are persistent challenges in the county. This situation has prompted the department to engage in public awareness campaigns on land matters.
Bosire noted that numerous land-related cases in Ndhiwa courts, such as boundary disputes and succession issues, could be mitigated if couples practiced joint land ownership. He suggested that joint ownership allows a surviving spouse to obtain a title deed by presenting a death certificate if one partner passes away.
Absentee landlords who relocate to urban areas without appointing caretakers for their properties present another challenge. Bosire explained that unattended and unfenced land creates opportunities for encroachment and illegal sales, leading to fraud and boundary disputes. He advised landowners to assign caretakers and fence their properties to prevent unauthorized occupation.
Bosire emphasized the importance of maintaining boundary markers, mentioning that the land registrar has the authority to redefine them if altered. To reduce costs and legal battles, he encouraged resolving minor boundary disputes through local administrators and leaving major cases for arbitration by the land registrar.
He also urged residents to visit the land registry for free information on land matters and advised prospective buyers to verify land ownership through official searches and inspections prior to purchase.
Peter Ogolla, County Executive Committee Member for Land, echoed these concerns, warning of a rising trend of fraudulent acquisition of title deeds by some advocates in the region. Ogolla revealed that certain advocates draft illegal documents to help individuals acquire title deeds fraudulently, which are sometimes used to secure bank loans, leading to disputes when the land is reclaimed due to loan defaults.
Ogolla condemned land-related violence and encouraged peaceful dispute resolution through elders or legal channels. He urged residents to visit the land registry regularly to ensure their land ownership remains secure.