Drama unfolded at the Murang’a lands office earlier today as police officers stormed in to arrest journalists who pitched their tent outside.
The journalists say that they had received complaints from the members of the public that there were not being served appropriately.
After talking to the aggrieved residents, the journalists sought an audience with the registrar but she was not available.
Minutes later, police officers came in saying they had received a call from one of the staff members who claimed ‘unknown people’ were filming the offices.
The officers however left shortly after the reporters explained their mission to them.
According to the residents, they have been coming here on a daily basis to seek services to no avail accusing the staff of laxity in their work.
Some claimed that their transactions are yet to be concluded five years down the line after making the submission.
Kamau Gichia from Mugoiri Kahuro said he has been seeking a title deed for his parcel of land for the past five years. He said every time he goes to the office he is told there is an error that needs to be rectified but this has carried on for a long time.
“A procedure which usually takes a month is taking years to be concluded and this is very frustrating,” he said.
Kamau said he does not know how long he will have to wait to get his title deed adding that he is tired of frequent visits to the land office.
James Wainaina from Kigumo said an unknown person put a caveat on his parcel of land and his efforts to have it lifted have been futile.
He said for the past nine months he has been in and out of the Lands office seeking to know the identity of the person who put the caution but every time he is referred to the next visit.
“I don’t know what is so hard to get the name of this person because I am the sole inheritor of the land,” he said.
Nahashon Mbogo on his part claimed that the cartels have taken over the running of the operations of the Lands office adding that anyone visiting there is required to part with some cash to get the service.
“The brokers collude with officers inside the office and they ask for money for one to be assisted in getting services,” he said.
Kenneth Maguta claims that he has several title deeds which are yet to be processed and this he said has made him delay establishing his projects.
“A lot of people come here but they go back home frustrated because they don’t get served and they have to make numerous visits before being assisted,” he said.
Maguta called upon the cabinet secretary for lands Farida Karoney to intervene and streamline the operations in this registry.
“If things don’t change we are going to demand the closure of this office because it is not serving people as required,” he added.
A senior officer from the office who sought anonymity however said the registry has only one registrar and the workload is overwhelming and thus the delay in service delivery.
