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{
    "id": 137445,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/137445/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 497,
    "type": "other",
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    "content": "for having seen the importance of this Motion that he himself opted to be present during debate. There is failure of the land tenure system in this country. This is in the sense that it is so flawed that people own land under different systems. We have freehold and leasehold systems. Even under leasehold, some have a lesser period of 99 years and others 999 years. This has brought a lot of fracas in the agricultural system. In a constituency like mine, Kimilili Constituency, part of it; Bungoma North District, is a settlement scheme where seven-eighths of the population here own land as freehold, while one-eighth own land as leasehold. The one-eighth that own land as leasehold are also torn between – I would say- suspended animation. They do not know whether the ownership of the land is forever or in the next 42 years they will have to vacate the land because the lease will have expired. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, these people bought this land from the original owners who then decided to sell the land to them. The land was on a 99 year lease. Eventually, those who bought the land have realized that the lease is already half- way and would expire. They would then be thrown out of that land because they do not own it. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think the gist of the Motion is very clear. In agricultural settlement schemes, the land should be converted to freehold titles. I think it is important because that way, the farmers can access their title deeds and be able to access credit. Right now, because of the leasehold system, they are unable to access the title deeds. The land is treated as a whole. They have been unable to pay for conversion to freehold tenure. These are poor farmers and raising that money becomes a problem. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think it is important that as we talk of food security in this country, in these agriculturally potential areas, the land be converted to freehold tenure. The title deeds should then be issued to farmers so that they can be able to access credit facilities and improve their farming methods. This way, we can improve on food security in the country. We are in a situation where we have several classes of citizens. We have those who will own land as freehold and those who will hold land as leasehold without actually saying who the second class citizen is. The land tenure system has been a problem. I know and I am aware that there has been a lot of effort to try to improve the system. However, I think this Motion will help speed up this process, especially in highly agricultural productive areas. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the commercial areas, this has encouraged corruption. When somebody’s leasehold is about to expire, then everybody who is involved in land issues, for example, surveyors and all those, sharpen their teeth knowing that the person will come for renewal of the lease and they would be able to seek rent from these people. Sometimes when these leases are renewed, people end up not getting another 99 years. Some end up getting 30 years or 40 years without any criteria for this. Unless we streamline this, we are encouraging corruption that has been eating our society all along. In agricultural areas, it is important to change the lease system because these farmers are the people who ensure that we have enough food. In my constituency right now, farmers are stuck, they do not know whether to invest heavily on their farms or not. They do not know whether they will still own the land in 30 years time. They have been"
}