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News
Friday, February 13, 2004
Lands report recommends equal
rights
By MARK AGUTU
Kenyans will have equal rights to
own and use land if a policy currently being worked on is
implemented.
The policy, the first ever in the
country, will also make the local land market more effective and
efficient, according to the Land Policy Formulation Process draft.
It will put in place proper
regulations for "productive, sustainable use and equitable
distribution".
But the Lands ministry said the
document would be ready after a year. The permanent secretary, Mr
Kirinya Mukira, said it would take between 12 and 18 months for it
to be ready for implementation.
"We have a long way to go,
but the ultimate duty is to produce a national land policy. We
have the full approval of the Government, and we'll face any
challenges and hurdles that may be on the way," Mr Mukira
said.
The draft was released to policy
makers at a workshop in Nairobi on Tuesday. Lands minister Amos
Kimunya officially launched the policy-making process.
It will involve a team of 12
experts drawn from the Government, the private sector and civil
society, and will be coordinated by a 14-member steering committee
headed by the PS.
The draft stresses land's role in
economic, social and cultural development and gender equity.
It addresses issues such as
administration, access, redressing historical injustices and
public land allocations.
Recommendations in the Njonjo Land
Commission report will be integrated in the final document, which
will be harmonised with the land laws in the draft constitution
from the Bomas of Kenya talks. Shadow Lands minister John Serut
has urged the policy drafters to make sure the interests of
minority groups and squatters threatened with eviction are
addressed.
Link :
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/News/News1302200410.html
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