Following announcements that prospective land commissioners have been nominated and forwarded to parliament for approval, there is likely to be apprehension and anxiety in the respective offices of the Ministry of Lands and among cartels that trade out public and community land.

Public and unregistered community land may be irregularly allocated

Following announcements that prospective land commissioners have been nominated and forwarded to parliament for approval, there is likely to be apprehension and anxiety in the respective offices of the Ministry of Lands and among cartels that trade out public and community land. Given that the commission will be charged with the management of public and unregistered community land, those who had focused on the acquisition of such land around the country are likely to go into over-drive during this phase.

Therefore, in attempts to realise their intent, any unallocated public land and unregistered community land can become the target of irregular allocation. No wonder we have began to see some among the Maa community complain about irregularly issued titles to community land. No wonder we are witnessing evictions over this period. Such incidents may increase. It is also likely that leases that are about to expire can easily be irregularly reallocated to other parties before the land commission assumes office. One may even wonder what may be going on in the offices that play custodian to the relevant land records at this period.

State Agencies should protecct land records prior and during transition

It is therefore advisable for all holders of leases derived out of public land and the leaders of unregistered community land to be on high alert at this critical period. Government security organs and the senior officers in the Ministry of Lands must also become extra vigilant to pre-empt any likely efforts to irregularly allocate public and community land at national or county level during this period and to also ensure that no records to public or community land are destroyed, defaced or misplaced in an attempt to defeat any likely future efforts to audit activities that happened prior or during transition. The land commission, once in ofice, must also pay specific attention to the technical activities that happened over this period and hold policy and technical office holders to account for necessary explanations.