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{
    "id": 275302,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/275302/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 320,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Muriithi",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Industrialization",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 91,
        "legal_name": "Ndiritu Muriithi",
        "slug": "ndiritu-muriithi"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Mututho talked about the same question of sustainability. For example, he raised the question of what became of livestock and wildlife migration corridors. One of the sources of anguish amongst us today is human-wildlife conflict. A week hardly goes by without a citizen being trampled by an elephant or mauled by a lion in Laikipia and many other areas. This is a weekly occurrence. We, as a country, have to make up our mind. If, in fact, we have decided that we are doing conservation since we have wild animals, this is the basis of our tourism, we also have to be able to ask ourselves how we will manage, live and create the right facilities, so that we do not settle on land meant for conservation, as we have done now. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have settled citizens for purposes of agriculture between spaces we also expect wildlife to roam. So, if you go to areas like Mwenje, Sipili, Mutara and other areas, where small scale-farmers have literally settled side by side with areas where wildlife is expected to roam around in search of pasture, you will find that the resultant human-wildlife conflict is such that the citizens feel disenfranchised. So, I do believe that as we come up with these reforms through this legislation, we should be looking at that. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, one thing that we can and must improve is the whole question of the rule of law and, therefore, respect for private property rights. In many areas today, citizens who have title deeds or leaseholds to land find that they cannot use those pieces of land because of conflict. For example, where the law allows for adverse possession and yet the citizen cannot go to her land in Narok ranch, Mutukanio or Runyeki because of conflict or because her security is threatened, I think we need to do better. We should find a way to really enshrine and prioritize respect for private property rights over issues such as adverse possession. I also want to say a couple of things about the efficiency of the registries. This is because you will notice that a lot of commerce in Kenya is, in fact, dependent--- For example, financial transactions or lending to small business is extremely dependent on the ability of the registries to do the work and do it in a timely fashion. I think this is an area that requires a great deal of improvement. I do not know why it should take several weeks or, indeed, months to accomplish, for example, registering some of these things. If somebody has taken a mortgage on a property, I think within seven working days, it should be possible that those things are recorded and, therefore, commerce moves in the speed that it should. In addition, that efficiency of registries is, in fact, what we have spoken about I think now for 10 or 15 years. That is making the registries electronic in order to speed up these transactions and perhaps to avoid human error and also guard against corruption and so on. Why is it that in this day and age we should end up with, for example, two public interests being allotted the same parcel of land? It is just yesterday that we were dealing with a case in Nyahururu where Laikipia University and the Child Welfare Society have found that they have been allotted the same parcel of land. The efficiency of these land registries and their ability to deliver what it is that they are supposed to do, in my view, is critical. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to conclude by saying that I know that a number of amendments are proposed. Since the question of land is so central to our whole world view as Kenya and our livelihood, I think we must do the very best we can to make sure that we end up with a law that is not just credible but is seen to be credible and that citizens and others feel that it is a law that will assist us to manage land in the best way possible. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support this Bill."
}