Banita: Residents of Banita Settlement Scheme want a verification exercise carried out before issuance of title deeds on claims that the final list of beneficiaries submitted to the office of the Land Adjudication and Settlement for registration omits names of several locals. They want the government to review, reconcile, and harmonize the final list to protect those omitted from losing their land.
According to Kenya News Agency, Banita Settlement Scheme Chairman Mr. Paul Kibett indicated that the prolonged dispute over the beneficiaries list has delayed the issuance of title deeds since the scheme's establishment in 2002. The settlement scheme, covering 14,115 acres, was purchased by the Settlement Fund Trustees (STF) from Majani Mingi Group. After the land was surveyed, Letters of Offer were prepared, but complaints soon arose over the beneficiary list.
Mr. Kibett noted that the targeted beneficiaries from 43 ethnic communities include landless people from Banita within Rongai Constituency and others who were former employees on the land, which was previously a vast sisal estate. He said the omissions risked unfairly reallocating their parcels of land to other people.
President William Ruto had directed the Ministry of Lands to ensure the dispute is resolved and titles handed to thousands of beneficiaries. The National Government, in collaboration with Nakuru County, is preparing to issue title deeds to more than 2,000 residents of the scheme in a bid to end perennial land disputes in the devolved unit.
Principal Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning Mr. Nixon Korir earlier this year emphasized the need for landowners within Banita Settlement Scheme in Soin Ward, which comprises Kapsaga, Kongo Machine, Kiito, Kokwomoi, and Kimamoi A and B villages, to get the land ownership documents. 'This is a positive move and a step forward in economic elevation of Nakuru County and in the appreciation of our land value,' stated Mr. Korir. He said the Ministry of Lands and the County administration were working to have the land adjudication completed in the Sub-County.
A resident of the scheme, Ms. Jackline Cheserem, stated that proper land documentation will provide legal protection for landowners in the event of conflicts. 'We do not want police to abandon their core duty of protecting the country to spend time resolving land conflicts. With proper titles, they can focus on their work,' she stated.
Mr. Moses Kiprop urged the National Land Commission (NLC) to conduct comprehensive research on land use and ownership in the Banita Settlement Scheme to address decades of controversial land allocation and management processes. Mr. Kiprop stated that resolving the discrepancies is crucial to ensuring sustainable land management and governance at both county and national levels. 'The people will have to be involved in collecting data about how they have been affected by these conflicting processes to actualize the principles of Article 60 of the Constitution. Land should be managed in a way that is efficient, effective, productive, and sustainable,' he said.
Franklin Kiprop called for immediate government intervention to protect the residents and settle the longstanding grievances. 'All the communities in Banita promote coexistence and mutual respect between each other in the interest of peace. We continue to live in harmony as we have done for many years, and wish to maintain cordial relations,' he said.