Only 3,050 out of 28,000 Embakasi Ranching Company title deeds are ready for issuance two weeks after a presidential directive that they be processed promptly.
President Uhuru Kenyatta gave the order on August 12 while handing over 2,100 title deeds to Dandora, Kayole, Mathare and Kariobangi land owners at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre grounds.
He told Nairobi Metropolitan Services director-general Mohamed Badi and Governor Mike Sonko to ensure that all the title documents are processed.
On Saturday, company chairlady Lucy Nyokabi told the Star they were doing their best to ensure the titles were handed to the owners.
“We are trying our best to serve as many people in a day because time is not on our side,” Nyokabi said and blamed the Covid-19 social distancing mitigation requirement for the slowdown.
Meanwhile, members are disappointed. Peter Mbugua, who has been accompanying his sickly mother Lucy Mwihaki to Ruai chief’s office to collect the document, on Sunday expressed regrets.
“We have been going daily since the week started but we always return home disappointed. It is so unbearable as we have to stand for long hours because there is no place to sit. Also there are no toilets,” Mbugua told the Star.
He said his mother travelled from her Eldoret home hoping to get her title and go back. Unfortunately, Mwihaki is staying in Nairobi against her wish.
The 24,000-acre ranch in Ruai was acquired by the company 45 years ago. The membership is drawn mainly from Nairobi, Kiambu and Murang’a counties. Some of the members have since died.
At KICC two weeks ago, President Kenyatta cautioned the title deed holders getting not to be duped into selling their properties.
“When you get your title deed, please be careful not to be cheated to sell the land you’ve fought for all these years. Keep it and use it to help yourself, your children and your grandchildren,” he advised.
Had the shareholders been issued with the title deeds, the ranch would have been dissolved by February 2018.
Over 5 million land documents have been issued since 2013 under the President’s Nairobi Titling Programme.