THE government is set recall all land officers seconded to the National Land Commission (NLC). The process which analysts say will cripple the NLC will start as early as this week, according to a decree issued by Lands Secretary Charity Ngilu to the Public Service Commission. Ngilu issued the new order last week before he departed for the US to attend a conference. Revelation of the impending move was made yesterday by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed who warned the decision is part of the dirty scheme by the government to frustrate NLC from discharging its mandate. Junet further accused Ngilu of “killing reforms in the land sector” by frustrating the NLC as envisioned under Agenda Four of the 2008 National Accord. Junet further claimed that director general at the Ministry Peter Kahuho is the “Commissioner of Lands reincarnate” who has been detailed to ensure that NLC does not deliver. The MP warned the country could descend into anarchy should the process of land reforms stall and challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to take charge. “NLC must be given space to perform its mandate because if it doesnt, the consequence will be anarchy,” Junet said yesterday. “President Uhuru Kenyatta must come clean on the distaste Ngilu has shown the NLC since her appointment. He must shed light on the squabbles between Ngilu and NLC because this is impunity.” He said corruption at the ministry cannot be entertained anymore because its “smelling”. He said the NLC has been frustrated through budgetary allocations and even being denied office space in a scheme he said is aimed at alienating it from performing its core mandate. Efforts to get Ngilu to clarify the issue did not bear fruit as her phone was switched off late yesterday. According to Junet, Ngilus decision to recall land officers seconded to NLC is part of the grand scheme to “render the NLC useless”. He reminded Kenyans that it took a Court Order for the the Kibaki regime to gazette the names of NLC commissioners even after they had been approved by parliament. He further claimed that Ngilu is keen to ensure that a clique at the ministry at her beck and call reclaim the power to sign title deeds and leases. The CS is yet to revoke the appointment of Peter Kahuho as director general of lands as recommended by MPs last year and sources say Ngilu is lining him to be the signatory of land titles and leases. On Friday the CS called a press conference and declared as null and void the new land registration documents which were gazetted by the NLC recently. The new documents confer on the NLC the power to issue titles with its chairman and CEO and signatories. Ngilu dismissed the documents as invalid, unusable and warned the NLC against “doing other peoples work.” “There is no confusion at the ministry over the issuance of title deeds. The public must not be duped into believing that the government has issued new land registration documents. It has not,” she said. Yesterday, Junet said Ngilu was lining up Kahuho for the all important role of signing title deeds and promised to raise up the matter in parliament this week. He said the Fourth Floor of Ardhi House has been allocated to the NLC, Ngilu has ensured Kahuho has his office right on the floor on Ngilus instructions. “Kahuho is the only ministry official who has his office located on the fourth floor. Why just him if the scheme is not to frustrate NLC,” he asked.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:42:18 +0000
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