Aware the challenges facing land use could derail efforts to industrialise the country, the Lands ministry in 2015 spearheaded formation of the first-ever land policy.
Launched in June 12 this year, the National Land Use Policy seeks to provide a framework for optimal and sustainable utilisation of land-related resources at county and national levels. The policy seeks to balance different, yet related, concerns, such as food security, human settlements, environmental protection and climate change and other economic pursuits.
In October 23, the Lands ministry formed a National Technical Committee to implement the policy. The move pushed Kenya closer to ending its perennial land problems. The policy is premised on the philosophy of economic productivity, social responsibility, environmental sustainability and cultural conservation.
National director of physical planning Augustine Masinde warned that without proper planning, the momentum of attaining President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda will be lost.
Masinde is set to chair the National Technical Committee, whose principal function is to implement decisions made by the National Council for Land Use Policy. The technical committee will, among other functions, prepare reports from various sectors on the status of implementation for presentation to the National Council.
The council will be chaired by head of public service Joseph Kinyua and will be composed of various CSs, the Council of Governors, and chairpersons of various environmental agencies.
In the past, land use and environment management were uncoordinated, as the country did not have a national land use policy. This is set to change, should the national land use policy be successfully implemented.
[Full article on: The Star, by Gilbert Koech]
