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{
    "id": 1499957,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1499957/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 148,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Alice Wahome",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have responded to Senator Mwenda Gataya Mo Fire's question on the status of land adjudication in his area, Tharaka Nithi, and the challenges between the Tharaka Nithi boundary and the Meru boundary. The first question is about the status update on the adjudication of areas along the border of the Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties, particularly Ntoroni, Viiti, Nkondi, and Turema. I think part ‘E’ is not there. You know, some of my staff may not have grammatical accuracy for some of these words. These are locations in the Tharaka Nithi, which have been the subject of long- standing land ownership disputes. The statement on land adjudication along Meru and the Tharaka county boundary has not been unlocked yet, as there has been no consensus between the disputing communities. This boundary has been contested since 1992. The solution will pave the way for the ascertainment of land rights, as adjudication officers for the respective adjudication areas will have clear jurisdiction over the extent of their areas of operation. This is because the definition of adjudication sections follows established administrative boundaries. This is the response, therefore, that the hon. Senator should take. For us to do adjudication sections, we follow established administrative boundaries, which then have been disputed. Therefore, we stopped the work. This scenario, as indicated, is in response to a statement submitted by the Ministry to the Senate Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunities and Regional Integration. I have attached the response and I cannot now provide a different reaction. What we are saying in this particular question, hon. Senator, is that you know the challenge is not even the boundary. The challenge is the people. Allow me to use this Floor to address the people of Tharaka and Meru along this boundary. What they are asking me to do is gerrymander along the administrative boundaries or the county boundaries. Some people are Tharaka. They live in Meru, an area that is said to be within the boundary. They say that their land cannot be registered as Meru because I am a Tharaka. When you go to the Meru people, then they have land in Tharaka. This is an unusual situation because today, I can buy land in Nairobi, Kiambu or Baringo counties. I cannot demand the boundary be changed to suit my ethnic community or background. The elected leaders must help to tell people that if they are living in Meru, they allow us to demarcate and title their land as if it were in Meru because you and the land are two different entities. One is a person; the other is land. This is a peculiar position we have here. People living within Meru County, and they are Tharaka, are saying, \"No, my title cannot read Meru because I am a Tharaka.\" People in Tharaka and Meru County are saying the same thing. This is a simple problem. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}