[Article source: The Standard, by Joseph Muchiri]
A section of Mbeere South residents have appealed to the Government to stop the planned issuance of title deeds for the Makima adjudication section.
Hundreds of residents who gathered at Makima market said lands officials should first conduct physical verification of people currently living on the land and those who possess allotment letters to avert evictions and possibility of chaos.
The land was adjudicated in 1978, but processing of title deeds stalled as residents opposed it and obtained injunctions on grounds that many deserving people were left out.
Residents say they are aware the State plans to issue those titles next month, just four months after the Ministry of Lands issued 12,000 titles for the Wachoro, Gichiche and Riachina adjudication sections, which were part of the Mwea Trust Land.
Mwea Council of Elders Deputy Vice Chairman Sila Mwaniki and Makima MCA Philip Nzangi said they want the area lands adjudication officer and lands registrar to sit down with local residents and settle all their grievances.
They expressed fears that resettling new people to parcels of land occupied by local residents who were not given allotment letters would spark chaos.
Mwaniki said already many residents in Wachoro adjudication area have received eviction notices from purported beneficiaries of title deeds. He added that many residents who believed they were beneficiaries were shocked to find their names missing.
Nzangi said whereas the community was not against issuance of title deeds after 40-year wait, it was prudent to delay the process until their grievances are handled.
Residents claimed the 1978 adjudication was not done fairly as it was influenced by civil servants.
