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{
    "id": 1268341,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1268341/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 298,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Embakasi South, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Julius Mawathe",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand to support this Bill. It is timely though long overdue. It is formulated as a Bill that will govern the counties in collecting rates. The rates may be different but the law that will oversee and control its collection shall be one. As we talk about collecting rates, there are too many big and small parcels of land in Kenya that whose owners do not have title deeds. How will rates be collected without issuing titles and knowing the owners of the parcels of land? As we think about this, we should fast- track the issuance of title deeds so that when rates are collected, they are collected from the correct persons. Delays in the issuance of titles encourage land grabbing. When a piece of land has no title and somebody of influence sees that, he may go to the lands office to start fighting for that piece of land that may belong to low income or poor person. If I may use the people in my constituency as an example, it is about time the Government issued titles to the people of Mukuru kwa Njenga and Mukuru kwa Reuben. If they are given titles, they can go to banks to borrow money and build homes. People of Riara do not have title deeds. A majority of Embakasi South residents have challenges accessing title deeds. They have too many squabbles. A year-and-a-half ago, we saw illegal demolitions happening in Mukuru kwa Njenga in the name of building a road. However, it turned out that people were misled by some unscrupulous people within two Government ministries . The Government chose to kill its own citizens in the name of land. It murdered very many people who were fighting to reclaim their land in Mukuru kwa Njenga. Now that we have a different Government, these people should be recognised as the title owners. They have been living there for the last 57 to 60 years. One of the inspectors told a resident: “ Angalia nyuma ya ID yakona ugure ” meaning, look at where you come from at the back of your ID. I can give an example of a lady – I choose not to use her name – who is about 58 years old. This lady has been there for the last 15 years. Her identity card says her village is Mukuru, her sub-location is Mukuru kwa Njenga, location is Mukuru kwa Njenga, the district is Embakasi and division is Embakasi in Nairobi, where she was born. Where would she go when she is told “ tutakubomolea” and that “you can do whatever you want to do”? It is about time that as we talk about this nice Bill on rates, first of all, consider issuing title deeds to our fellow Kenyans wherever they may be. As we talk about these rates, it might be aiming at specific individuals, but it cuts both ways. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}