14 Days: Sakaja pledges title deed to single mothers after decades of land dispute
Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has assured members of the Single Mothers’ Association of Kenya (SMAK) that they will finally receive ownership of a 0.2-hectare parcel of land, ending a dispute that has persisted since 1991.
The association has spent more than three decades seeking a title deed for the land, with little success. Sakaja affirmed that the 0.2 hectares legally allocated to the group will be secured.
“The association has been occupying a 0.2-hectare piece of land; however, there have been issues surrounding the exact size being claimed. Through the allotment letter, they are requesting 0.2 hectares. We are willing to work with the committee, including deploying a surveyor to ascertain that the association occupies the 0.2 hectares, after which they will be assured of receiving their title deed,” Sakaja said.
SMAK members have long struggled to formalize ownership of the land despite continuous occupation and repeated appeals for assistance. The association has also faced disputes over claims exceeding the 0.2 hectares and previous eviction attempts in 2020, prompting them to petition the Senate for intervention.
Sakaja reiterated that the priority is to support the association, assuring them that they will be allocated the 0.2 hectares due to them, while any additional claims beyond that will be handled through legal channels.
“In 2020, the association was facing eviction. However, since we came into office, that has not happened. We will not allow them to be evicted from the 0.2 hectares,” he added.
Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji, directed that the matter be expedited. He instructed the county government to verify, through surveyors, that the association occupies the 0.2 hectares and to facilitate issuance of the title deed if confirmed.
“Let the county ascertain through legal processes that the association indeed occupies the 0.2 hectares allocated to them. Any land beyond that should be assessed to determine its use and ownership,” the chair directed.
The Senate is expected to reconvene on May 14 to receive an update on the ownership and allocation of the 0.2-hectare parcel.The Governor was accompanied by Land CEC SG Mwangi and his Chief officer Cecilia Wangari Koigu.
