Call to establish new land authority

THE 2019 Land Summit was told that stakeholders dealing with land propose that a new authority be set up to regulate and administer customary land for development.
Dr Charles Yala, pictured, presenting issues and resolutions identified by stakeholders at the summit said the stakeholders found that Department of Lands was not properly carrying out the administration of customary land.
He said the stakeholders felt the “Lands Department was dysfunctional, inefficient and corrupt”.
Yala presented at the summit on behalf of commercial banks, property developers, oil and gas companies and government regulating bodies such as the fisheries among other group who made up the stakeholders.
The presentation highlighted issues and resolutions identified at the stakeholders meeting held from Feb 6-8 and presented at the summit for adaptation which will than put before parliament by the minister responsible.
The stakeholders resolved that an entity, separate from the Department of Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP) be created to administer and facilitate customary land development.
“The lands department is not the appropriate department to manage customary land; a new authority must be set up to clear out issues with customary land before it goes to lands department and to the developers” Yala told the summit.
They also found that there is a need for reforms in the systems and processes of land administration within DLPP which must be done with the view to ensure credibility in processes to administer and facilitate customary land for development.