The Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service has announced that the government lost 366 title deeds.
In a gazette notice published on Friday, September 27, the office said the title deeds with serial numbers ranging from 5253001 to 5253367 could not be accounted for.
Consequently, the government has revoked the listed titles, rendering them null and void. The notice further indicates that the government will not be responsible for anyone who conducts business with the said title deeds.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that Title Deeds bearing serial numbers listed herein are reported lost: 5253001—5253367,” read part of the notice.
“The Government will not take any liability arising from any unauthorized transaction(s) on the said Title Deeds and that by dint of this notice they are deemed cancelled and of no effect.”
However, the government did not give reasons why the said title deeds were lost or who was responsible for the loss.
Fraudsters Evicting People from Their Lands
The announcement comes after the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in July nabbed three land fraudsters who have been forging title deeds to obtain eviction orders from courts.
DCI stated that the suspects were part of an organized criminal group that targets landowners in Eldoret forged title deeds to file an application before court, thereby obtaining an eviction order used to evict genuine landowners on October 7, 2022.
In the matter, four victims lost their 20-acre parcel of land which they had been legally occupying since 2001, a land located at Ngeria area of Kapseret constituency in Uasin Gishu County.
Also Read: Treasury CS Intervenes After University Loses Title Deeds
Investigations kicked off after a letter was received at the DCI headquarters on January 31, 2024, from the affected landowners. The letter requested an inquiry into the suspicious acquisition of a title deed of their land.
According to DCI, investigations revealed the ministry of lands did not issue the title deed used by the fraudsters.
Furthermore, the title deed was not printed by Government Printers, and no records of its issuance were found in the land registry.
Also, the Uasin Gishu County land registry data did not issue the land’s green card, and it did not have a serial number.
Also Read: How Fraudsters Used Forged Title Deed to Obtain Eviction Court Order
Public Schools and Buildings Lacking Title Deeds
In March this year, only 5,226 out of the country’s 31,000 public schools possess title deeds. According to the compilation released by Wahome, 5,799 schools had reservation files and were in line to receive their title deeds.
During the said period, it also emerged that the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC), a building that is synonymous with the Nairobi city’s skyline, might not have a title deed after nearly 51 years of existence.
Records presented before Parliament indicate that the Garden Square land originally belonged to the National Treasury, which transferred it to the defunct Nairobi City Council for the management of a public toilet that later evolved into a restaurant.
The situation escalated when the Garden Square restaurant filed a lawsuit to determine who it should pay rent to, as both KICC and the Nairobi County government claimed jurisdiction over the property.
The court ruled that the restaurant should pay rent to the National Land Commission (NLC) while awaiting the land’s allocation.
Interestingly, the NLC stated that it has never received any rent from the Garden Square restaurant, raising further questions about the management and oversight of the property.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
