• Mrs Ngilu told the House committee on Lands the NLC threatened to distract the implementation of the Jubilee manifesto
• The Jubilee Government intends to give out three million title deeds during its term

Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu on Tuesday criticised the National Land Commission, which falls under her docket, accusing it of dragging its feet and derailing the Jubilee Government.

In what could lead to a clash between the Lands Cabinet Secretary and an independent commission, Mrs Ngilu told the House committee on Lands the NLC threatened to distract the implementation of the Jubilee manifesto.

“The National Land Commission has been there for the last eight months and they are still educating people; they are creating awareness and they are holding meetings, seminars and what-have-you,” she said.

“I must do what I have got to do as a Cabinet Secretary and I want to say I don’t disrespect them. I would love to work with them but if they are not going to do what has to be done, then they can do their work and I will do my work and we will be judged by the nation.”

LEASE CONTROVERSY

Asked by chairman Alex Mwiru whether she would work with the commission, Mrs Ngilu said she would not hesitate because the blame would fall on her if the reforms in the Lands ministry fail.

She said some of the NLC’s public announcements could cause panic and lead to strife.

The Cabinet secretary singled out the claim that land whose leases had expired would be given to the public as likely to cause strife because it could prompt people to invade property which people have developed.

“I have told (NLC chairman Dr Mohammed Swazuri) ‘Don’t make such statements’,” she said.

She said she was also unhappy with a similar assertion Dr Swazuri made during the tour by the President at the Coast when the first batch of the 60,000 title deeds were given to land owners.

Mrs Ngilu said she would seek out Mr James Orengo, the former Lands minister who is now the Siaya Senator, and ask him what he was doing in office yet title deeds for land that was lying idle were not given out. She said title deeds for 250,000 pieces of land should be ready and the 60,000 in the Coast were the first batch of those that should be given out over time.

The Jubilee Government intends to give out three million title deeds during its term.

The minister said she had met the NLC and that goals of what they intend to achieve in the five years have to be set.

“The National Land Commission must accept that they are not the ones to make all decisions. I have a manifesto to implement and therefore I cannot have diversionary ways of handling issues of land.”

She narrated how officers at the Lands ministry had told her they only had 6,000 deeds to issue.

And when she relayed that information to President Kenyatta, he told her that her presence was not needed at ministry if those were the only titles available.