Land banks!

The term ‘land bank’ is now part of our business language. It’s however not clear to all what it quite means. But used from a land development point of view, land ‘banking’ should be understood to mean accumulating some stock of land for critical future needs. Reading from our land policy and new law, land banks are understandably stocks of serviced public land strategically acquired to be used for industrial investments and housing programmes. There are other basic public needs that would benefit from strategic reserves of public land.

Land banks are the way to go for Kenya. Jamhuri Park in Nairobi and EPZ in Athi River are good examples of strategic land reservations from the past. Jamhuri Park has for years been used to effectively show case agricultural and industrial goods and served as a shopping window for many local and international investors. EPZ in Athi River provides good environment for many textile firms. But more needs to be done. Good land banking must therefore inform our dreams for a healthy, educated and well planned industrialized nation. We must therefore ask ourselves whether each of our new Counties have thought through their critical land needs in their strategic plans.

Land banks key to sectoral development

A tour I made earlier this year to some of the heavily populated parts of Kenya in Nyanza, Western, Eastern, Rift Valley and Central painted a crying need for the expansion of education facilities……at lower and higher education levels. More Primary and Secondary schools along with Colleges and Universities are needed. Extra land will be required for the purpose. And leaders said as much. The evident population explosion calls for more health facilities too. Land is needed for these as well. More land is needed for a whole cross-section of public needs including physical infrastructure development, industry, exhibitions, housing and recreation. Unfortunately, for the last fifty years, policy planning in this country has not focused on providing land for these basic needs. Little wonder we now find schools, Colleges, Universities and health centers in the most unsuitable places today. Urban housing is in crisis. If not proactively redressed, this gap will totally constrain future development.

Now that planning has been devolved to the Counties, leaders and technocrats must prioritise this matter. It was heartening to hear Governor Evans Kidero of Nairobi promise to establish land banks for investors. It was encouraging to see Governor Alfred Mutua of Machakos invite investors to his County to discuss investment options, promising enough land for investments. These Governors are on the right track and must be supported. Investments prop up economies. But investments need suitable land. So if governors are to attract investments, they must scout for and set aside land for viable investments within their jurisdictions. And such land must be leased at fairly affordable terms and the annual rates kept friendly. Such incentives will entice investors who in return will boost economies and prop up employment.

Counties need to acquire suitable land soonest

For the long term, Counties must acquire and set aside land for all public needs. Such land must be well distributed within Counties. In doing so, planners will need to reflect upon the needs that will drive each County fifty to one hundred years ahead. This matter is urgent and if delayed, available private land will only get more expensive and unaffordable. As witnessed in Nairobi’s road projects, adhoc acquisition of expensive private land can hold back major public projects. Importantly, the national land commission must see to it that future conversions of public and community land to private ownership reserve sufficient land for critical public needs.