Gazette Notice No 10604 of 19th July 2012

I realized that many are not aware that the preparation of regulations, rules and guidelines for the effective operation of the Land Act 2012 and the Land Registration Act 2012 has been in progress.

The Minister for Lands, Hon James Orengo, through a gazette notice number 10604 of 19th July, 2012, appointed a technical committee for the above purpose. The committee is also expected to prepare draft subsidiary legislation for the two laws. It will also identify any inconsistencies in the laws and propose suitable amendments. Given that experts have identified some flaws in each of the two laws, the broad mandate of this committee is helpful.

Members

According to the gazette notice, the members are:-

1. Chairman:                        To be appointed by the Land Commission
2. Cyrus Ngatia                      (Vice Chairman)
3. Roselyn Aburili                    Min of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs
4. Peter Musyimi                     Kenya Law Reform Commission
5. Catherine Ochanda             State Law Office
6. Grace W Mwailema             Land Sector Non State Actors
7. Alfred Mwangi                   Institution of Surveyors of Kenya
8. Peter Mwangi Muhiu           Law Society of Kenya
9. Isaac Karanja Mwangi (Dr)   Kenya Institute of Planners
10. Reuben Murugu                 Ministry of Lands, Department of Survey
11. Polly Gitimu                       Ministry of Lands, Department of Survey
12. Timothy Mwangi                Ministry of Lands, Dept of Physical Planning
13. Lilian Kieni                         Ministry of Lands, Dept of Physical Planning
14. Elizabeth Gicheha               Ministry of Lands, Dept of Lands
15. Sarah Maina                       Min of Lands, Dept of Lands
16. Joseph Kariuki                    Ministry of Lands, Dept of Lands
17. Susan Kidemi                     Ministry of Lands, Dept of Land Adjudication and Settlement
18. Peter Waithaka                  Ministry of Lands, Dept of Land Adjudication and Settlement
19. Francis Bor                        Ministry of Lands, Land Reform Transformation Unit
20. Representatives of the National Land Commission (2 No)

The committee may co-opt professional and any other appropriate competence  within or outside Government. The gazette notice also indicates that this committee may be reconstituted after the appointment of the National Land Commission. This is perhaps due to the fact that the land commission is vested with powers to develop quite a lot of the regulations required under the Land and Land Registration Acts.

The Committee was expected to finalize its task within a period of six months, quite a challenge given the wide and demanding mandate.

Provide input to committee

The committee issued public notices inviting public inputs quite a while back. Kenyans should exploit this opportunity to inform the anticipated regulations and amendments. Direct inputs can also be provided during the public forums that the committee is expected to organize to validate its work.