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"id": 188781,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Njuguna",
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"legal_name": "Peter Njuguna Gitau",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for granting me this opportunity to make some observations on this very important Vote of the Ministry of Lands. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I note that the Ministry made a lot of efforts in raising revenue for the Exchequer. We note that the Ministry was able to raise about Kshs6,150,746,922. This is really commendable to the staff. Without the stigma that was raised in the local media concerning the rate of corruption in the Ministry, it is my contention that the Ministry would have collected more 1996 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 22, 2008 money. The Ministry should fight this vice very strongly so that it competes gallantly and transparently. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to the issue of green cards, there are certain areas in this country where wananchi with parcels of land have not been able to utilise them because they have not been issued with title deeds. In my area, we have a settlement scheme where people have not been issued with title deeds for the last 15 years. I wish to state that the Minister is handling that issue in the best way possible. I think that my people in Lari constituency will receive that development with a lot of joy. With regard to the creation of adjudication offices in six provinces, it is important that this process is speeded up because wananchi in these areas have not been able to access credit facilities from the banks. They have also been unable to utilise those parcels of land in the best way possible. At times, a family may decide to sell a piece of land and they are not able to do so because the necessary documents are not there. So, if these adjudication offices could be established in these provinces very quickly, this kind of a job will be done well. I think, therefore, that these adjudication officers should be people of high dignity who are committed to starting these offices to give the best service to our people. On the issue of settling our people, we have noted that we have areas in Lari Constituency namely Kiracha, Uplands, Mathori and Kieni, where people have been staying for the last 20 years. They are yearning for land. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is high time that adequate funds be allocated to this Ministry so that these needy families could also be resettled. That way, there will be production of food both for domestic consumption and export. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on capacity building, we noted that the Ministry has already earmarked adequate funds to train diploma students. We would like these slots to be shared by students from the entire Republic and not from one community. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to the issue of land registries which are likely to be established, particularly in the new districts, we hope that the adjudication officer will be people of high integrity who will be able to fight corruption. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, these officers should be given new vehicles, staff and fuel. When they are not given vehicles and fuel, they are tempted to look for an avenue to raise capital to keep themselves operational in their areas. Another area that I need to pay some kind of attention is about land belonging to schools. Most schools in this Republic do not have title deeds. This has opened a gate for grabbers to get into the schools and grab this land. All schools in the Republic must be given title deeds for the land they own. We must have deadlines for issuance of these title deeds so that the grabbers are kept at bay and the institutions will run without any problem. On the registration of the title deeds, either the titles will be issued in the names of the sponsoring religious bodies or that of the schools. The Land Control Boards and Tribunals are very important entities and they should be managed by people of serious repute and those who can be entrusted. We have seen families fighting for land as a result of queer and corrupt decisions made by these people. So, I would suggest that the Minister should be able to clear and set standards for those people who will be members of these committees. Regarding dubious title deeds, we have seen people moving around and intending to grab graveyards. Where do they get these dubious title deeds? They have even gone into the forests to annex some land for themselves and they have title deeds. Where do they get these title deeds from? Unless there is collusion with some people in the Ministry, it is impossible to get these documents. The Ministry of Lands should be able to create a fraud unit that will monitor these very bad developments which give a very bad image of the Ministry. We have also seen some people July 22, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1997 moving out of court because dubious title deeds have been used in the courts of law. Others have been presented in banks as collateral, which is a thing that we cannot allow in this land. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have seen a section of our people who have really laboured; people who have done a noble job to liberate our country. These are the freedom fighters. They have not been remembered in terms of settlement. Some were beneficiaries while others were lucky to have had some land. But we have people now languishing in areas which are very pathetic. The Ministry, when it gets adequate funds or with the funds already allocated, should be able to give attention to some of these people in all areas of the country. Finally, we have seen land buying companies that have done proud this country. We all know of Mutukanio Land Buying Company. They bought some of these pieces of land way back in 1963. Up to now, those pieces of land have not been subdivided. It is high time that attention is given to these land buying companies. They should be given deadlines to settle people, so that they can start effective land utilization. This is where we should be able to get enough maize, other than to direct our national resources to Tanzania or Uganda. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}