Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Nominee Alice Wahome has pledged to tackle land grabbing and fraud if confirmed, asserting that significant progress has been made since her prior tenure.
During her vetting by the National Assembly Appointments Committee, Wahome advocated for amendments to the Lands Act to grant the Chief Lands Registrar the authority to approve or cancel land titles, arguing that the current system, which relies on court decisions, enables cartels to exploit legal loopholes.
Wahome expressed concern that allowing courts to have the final say on title cancellations emboldens cartels to manipulate the legal system.
“We need legislative changes to ensure that technical amendments made by the Chief Lands Registrar can legally affect title cancellations,” Wahome stated.
She warned that without such changes, land grabbers will continue to fraudulently acquire land, harming legitimate landowners.
Addressing the committee, Wahome defended her approach, which has included personally visiting contested lands to deter cartels.
She recounted instances where she was obstructed by goons despite police accompaniment, emphasizing her commitment to fighting land fraud.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah pressed Wahome to detail her track record in combating land grabbing, highlighting concerns about alleged collusion between land officials and fraudsters. Wahome responded by noting that she has faced challenges in enforcing land laws and has taken direct action to address issues on the ground.
Minority Leader Junet Mohammed questioned the sustainability of Wahome’s approach, arguing that visiting contested lands is not a viable long-term solution.
Wahome countered that her visits have been effective and stressed the need for clearer legal measures to dismantle cartels.
Wahome also acknowledged the problem of missing land files and fraudulent title issuance within the Lands Ministry, attributing some of these issues to corrupt officials.
She emphasized that addressing these problems requires both legislative reforms and robust enforcement actions.
“I have encountered numerous cases of land grabbing, often facilitated by officials within the Lands Ministry.
It is critical that we address these issues comprehensively to protect rightful landowners and restore integrity to land administration,” Wahome concluded.
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