Govt to issue titles to Mwea Settlement Scheme residents

Over 10, 000 households living in the disputed Mwea Settlement Scheme in Mbeere South, Embu County are set to receive title deeds by June this year.

Embu Senator Leny Kivuti says the Ministry of Lands is finalizing on the crucial documents and will issue them in due course adding that this will end the protracted land disputes on the 42,000 hectares Mwea Trust Land that have lasted for over a century.

According to Kivuti, at least 1,400 Title Deeds for the identified land owners in the scheme are ready and will be issued to the potential beneficiaries, some of whom have resided here for well over 70 years.

His announcement follows land adjudication processes spearheaded by the National Land Commission (NLC) in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands and the County Government of Embu.

The process started in 2014 following consultations between stakeholders.

Kivuti, who hosted leaders and elders from Mwea and Makima Wards in his Kanyuambora residence, called on political leaders to avoid peddling falsehoods regarding the just concluded exercise for their own political interests.

County Lands and Environment Executive Josephat Kithumbu, who oversaw the adjudication process, said protracted court battles that have dogged the demarcation exercise have been settled by way of invoking the available alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

He further presented a detailed and elaborate chronology of events that has led to the new development whose ultimate goal is to issue titles to all the 7,232 eligible land owners in the entire 42,000 hectare Mwea Trust Land.

The settlement scheme allocations will be followed by Makima and Karaba/Wachoro parcels.

Currently, according to Mr. Kithumbu, 40% of titles deeds will be issued to potential owners from the dominant Mbeere community, 30% to the Kamba, 20% to the Embu, 5% to the Kikuyu and 5% to the disabled.