Members of The New Kiambu County Lands Board Inducted To End Land Conflicts.

Members of the newly inducted Kiambu County Land Control Boards pose for a group photo after they were officially sworn in at the Thika High School for the Blind.

Kiambu County Land Management Board (CLMB) has been sworn-in in an event presided by Thika Principal Magistrate Benson Ireri at a glittering ceremony witnessed by Thika sub county Lands Officer Bernard Leitich at Thika High School for the Blind Hall.

The unveil of this County Land Management Board heralds a new dawn in addressing the problems bedeviling land management in Kiambu and Thika Sub-County in particular, such as the double allocations.

Speaking during the official induction of LCB’s from eight sub-Counties in the region, Leitich said that his office had been overwhelmed by the frequent land issues especially in Thika Town. He noted that their appointment would relieve pressure from his office. He said that the boards in Kiambu County will work to end numerous land conflicts bedeviling the county.

“We have had a very bad experience which has turned some investors away. But with the board in place, this will now be a thing of the past. Today marks a start of a new era, we expect the new members of board to act with a lot of integrity since they have been sensitized on requirements of the Land Control Act Section 6,” he said.

Those inducted included member from Thika East, Thika West, Gatundu North, Gatundu South, Ruiru and Juja Sub-Counties.

“Their mandate is clearly spelt out in the land control act and they have rights to give approvals to various land transaction including sale, leasing, mortgaging, exchanging land where you are occupying land and someone else has the title,” said Leitich.

He added that the boards will also be expected to handle issues pertaining to partitioning of land and subdivision, but their mandate only touches on agricultural land and cannot touch on other type of land like public land.

On the land issues facing Thika residents, Leitich explained that there were clear avenues on how to deal with them, normally through case by case, and by referring some to the Criminal Investigations Department where there is need, or the judiciary, in case of civil dispute.

“The issues of land are not only unique to Thika, as the value of land in the country has gone up within a very short time, thus bringing its fair share of challenges,” he added.

Thika West Deputy County Commissioner Tom Anjere explained that the new boards were appointed through a gazette notice by the Lands Cabinet Secretary Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi after the disbandment of all land control boards across the country.