By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
All title deeds for land inside gazetted forests in the country were issued irregularly, Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has announced.
The CS said all the title deeds will now be revoked.
According to the CS, all gazetted forests are owned and managed by the government through the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) hence title deeds cannot be issued for the same parcels of land or parts of the land as they were already under the legal custody of government.
Speaking at Ololua Forest on Tuesday, Tuya directed the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Alex Lemarkoko to immediately begin the process of revoking the titles in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands.
She also noted that all public organisations that have been allocated land in gazetted forests will be issued with Special User Licenses as prescribed in law to utilise the land for the intended purpose and for the good of the public.
The process does not require degazettement of forests. CS Tuya had visited Ololua Forest which is part of the Ngong’ Hills Forest Station to ascertain claims of forest encroachment.
This followed reports by members of the local Community Forest Association (CFA).
The Institute of Primate Research and Nuclear Authority of Kenya had been given authority to put up a research institute and offices respectively while the authenticity of the documentation purportedly giving Child Welfare International Society, another organisation claiming ownership of 66 acres inside the forest could not be verified.
But according to CS Tuya, all gazetted forests are under the custody of the KFS and their authority should always be sought before undertaking any activity.
The local CFA members had raised concerns that there was a plan to encroach on the natural forest following the erection of illegal perimeter walls.
There has been several cases of land ownership row involving gazetted forest land.
Past attempts by the government to reclaim the land has always been politicised by local leaders.
