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{
"id": 1459305,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1459305/?format=api",
"text_counter": 279,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Thangw’a",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also rise to support the Land (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bills No.40 of 2022). It has been well explained by my friend, Sen. Mungatana, and for sure, it brings a lot of good things that have been missing for decades. In the morning, we were talking about the preservation of Siany Wetland in Nyamira County. If this law was there, we could not be talking about this issue today because the County Government of Nyamira could have their title deeds. There could be no conflict between the County Government of Nyamira and the Kenya National Police or even the community when it comes to the ownership of Siany wetland. When we talk about registration of public land, Sen. Methu mentioned the issues of Tatu City. However, I would like to tell him to leave the matters of Kiambu County to me because I understand what is happening there. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if this law was in place when the Tatu City project began, we could not be having the problems we are having today; where people are soliciting land from Tatu City and Tatu City is refusing to give land to the county government. This problem could have been solved within the first government of devolution because this land has been there. What has been happening is that by the time a governor gives approvals, we all know what happens. Another governor comes in, finds that the other one had approved halfway and says that for me to complete, you have to do this and that. That is why there is a problem. That is why Tatu City decided to speak because they have lost a lot of land to people purporting to assist them when it comes to registration of that city, development approvals and building approvals. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, to cure this is why we have this Bill and this amendment, so that before you get any approval, you have to surrender a certain parcel of land, pursuant to the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019 and the Land Act, 2012. You have to surrender public land for public utilities, schools and stadia. If this happened at Tatu City then, today, we would be talking about the county government developing that kind of land. However, because there is no transparency and accountability, people say, just give me one acre here and I will approve for you. Since there are no titles, the land continues being used to bribe those in power so that they can give them approvals for their buildings. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are in 2024. Over 2,000 years ago, in China during the Qin Dynasty, the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, came up with a plan on land subdivision. Every land was subdivided into nine plots. The outer eight plots would be given to individuals to farm and cultivate, but the middle one was used for collective responsibility. The whole community would cultivate that farm and the produce they would be taken by the lords, in today’s language, the government. If someone over 2,000 years ago had a plan on how to use land and right now, we are in 2024, but we have not reached there yet. I am happy that we have this law that will impact on how we utilize land use. As Sen. Mungatana has said, that is the implementation of the Ndung’u Report. It is also the implementation of Vision 2030. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}