A joint team from the Lands Department of the National and County Governments, the National Land Commission (NLC), and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), have embarked on the sensitization of the communities on land registration.

The exercise aims to facilitate the formation of a Community Land Management Committee (CLMC), a pre-requisite to spearhead the filling and submission of Community Land Claim forms (CLA-1).

The sensitization of the land registration comes at a time when land is currently regarded as community land, owned by the County Government in trust. Later, when all the processes are completed, the land will be transferred to individual ownership after the issuance of title deeds.

The County’s Director of Land Surveys, Joseph Egiron, said the sensitization was a follow-up of an initial effort in which 66 village units were registered and their inventories were submitted to the National Ministry of Lands for processing.

He noted that due diligence was exercised to ensure those elected to the CLMCs were members of integrity and commanded respect from the communities they represent.

“So far, 10 community land registration units have conducted the elections. It is a milestone to have those Community Land Management Committees in place. The 15-member committee elected will administer the land on behalf of the community assembly of respective units.” Egiron said.

He named the 10 communities as; Lomunyenakwaan, Lopeduru, Katilia, Elelea, Lokwii, Lokori, Lopii in Turkana East, Katilu, Lokichar, and Kasuroi in Turkana South.

In addition to this, 19 communities have presented their interests and filled in the CLA 1 form. These are; Lorugum, Lochor-Ekuyen, Lochor-Edome, Namoruputh, Puch, Lokiriama, Urum, Lorengikippi, Kalemunyang in Loima. Kang’alita and Nakurio in Turkana Central.

Others are Kainuk, Koputiro, Loyapat, Kalemung’orok, Kakong’u, Kaputir, Nakwamoru and Kanaodon in Turkana South.

The CLA-1 Form is the application for recognition of interest/claim on community land.

Moving forward, Egiron and the team said, the next phase of the adjudication exercise after the successful elections of CLMCs, will be the survey of respective community land registration units.

Afterward, the Director said, respective communities will be issued with community titles.

The exercise was funded by FAO under the digital and governance program.

Edwin Wafula (Community Land Registrar), Vincent Agevi (County Land Adjudication Officer), Galgalo Bora (NLC), Linda Opiyo (FAO), Norah Kosgey, and Simon Wesala (Adjudication Officers) were also involved in the registration exercise.