Cabinet secretary for Lands Prof Jacob Kaimenyi yesterday made an impromptu visit in Embu lands office where he expressed dissatisfaction over wanting services as well as absenteeism of the land officers.
Kaimenyi expressed concerns over the disorganization of the office where the lands files and records were scattered all over while others were found on the floor while he was shocked to find that only seven officers were present while other seven officers were absent in unclear circumstances.
Kaimenyi has issued a stern warning to land officers who are colluding with land cartels to grab land of windows and the elderly in the county.
He said that he has received a report that the land cartels have taken over the land office and many residents have been suffering in the hands of the said brokers and rogue government officials.
Kaimenyi has ordered Embu lands registrar Joseph Munguti to write a report of the said land cases adding that the ministry will work together with criminal investigation department to arrest those involved.
Kaimenyi said that the government through the lands ministry has installed digital systems in over 18 land offices and the ministry is working with other partners and donors to ensure that all land offices in the entire country are digitized.
Kaimenyi assured residents that the government will work tirelessly to improve service delivery in land ministry adding that the ministry has embraced many reforms in the last four years ranging from digitization, scrapping search fees as well as survey fee for all public schools.
Kaimenyi said that the Jubilee government for the last four years has delivered its pledges in matters relating to land calling on Embu people to support President Uhuru re-election bid.
Kaimenyi however castigated for failing to ensure there is order in the office and ensuring the office is clean as well as making sure that all files are kept in a more organized manner.
He found that the registrar has no idea of community land act since he was not even having a single copy of the act ordering him to get the copies of the said act to improve service delivery to the residents.
Kaimenyi said that the office is yet to be connected with internet making it hard for the officer to digitize the services offered at the land office adding that the ministry has kicked off digitization process of all land office across the country to improve efficiency.
