Bondo Member of Parliament Gideon Ochanda has strongly criticized the National Treasury for holding onto title deeds for public land, including those belonging to schools, instead of handing them over to the National Land Commission (NLC), which is the legally mandated body to manage such documents.
Speaking during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, July 29, MP Ochanda pointed out that Article 67 of Kenya’s Constitution clearly gives the NLC the sole authority to manage public land on behalf of both the national and county governments.
He warned that allowing the Treasury to retain these crucial land documents is not only a constitutional violation but also opens the door for serious land mismanagement.
“There is a deeper and more serious issue when it comes to public land. If we look closely at what is happening with how state corporations are handling land, it’s completely wrong. For example, when a government institution buys land, the NLC is left in the dark,” Ochanda noted.
The MP questioned why title deeds for public institutions like schools are sitting in the Treasury when they should be with the NLC — the body with the official mandate to manage land.
“A school’s land is public land. So why are the title deeds being held by the Treasury? What role does the Treasury have in this matter if it’s not responsible for public land? Why are these titles not in the hands of the NLC, where they legally belong?” he asked.
Ochanda also singled out Kenya Railways Corporation, accusing it of being a repeat offender in this issue. He alleged that the corporation frequently purchases land without informing or involving the NLC, despite spending large sums of public money on such acquisitions.
“Kenya Railways is one of the state agencies with a big budget for buying land. Yet they keep making these purchases quietly, without notifying the NLC, and at the same time, they’re also losing land in unclear ways,” he added.
In light of these issues, the MP urged the National Land Commission to assert full control over all public land and establish a proper, centralized inventory system.
This, he said, would help bring order and accountability to how public land is managed across the country.
“We need to ask ourselves why the NLC does not have a complete, accurate record of all public land in Kenya. If we continue operating in a disorderly way, we will keep losing land, and people will continue raising all sorts of complaints from every direction,” Ochanda warned.
His remarks come amid public concern over the government’s recent decision to list the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).
A Cabinet dispatch issued on the same day, July 29, revealed that the government aims to sell a portion of KPC to allow private investors and industry experts to help boost the company’s growth, efficiency, and innovation.
Ochanda’s statement adds to growing fears that without a proper system for land documentation and management, critical public assets could be misused, lost, or sold off without public accountability.
Join Gen Z New WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
