The Government has waived over Ksh 5.3 billion in accrued interest owed to the Settlement Fund Trustee (SFT) by landowners across the country, Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has announced.

Speaking during separate tours of Nyandarua and Laikipia counties, CS Wahome urged landowners to take advantage of this reprieve and clear the remaining principal amounts, noting that the waiver is part of the government’s effort to ease land ownership burdens and promote compliance.

In a related move, the government has also declared that more than 20,000 title deeds issued in the Eastern Mau and Marmanet Forests remain invalid. Wahome emphasized that the government will not recognize “roadside declarations” that were previously used to allocate land in these ecologically sensitive areas.

“All land allocations must undergo proper legal procedures. The due process has to be followed for any title to be considered valid,” said Wahome.

In Laikipia County alone, over 10,000 title deeds issued for land in the Marmanet Forest have already been revoked. The Lands Ministry is currently reviewing all related files as part of an ongoing process to regularize land ownership and restore integrity to land records.

Additionally, Wahome announced that the government will relocate the Nyahururu Lands Registry to Olkalou, Nyandarua County headquarters, within the next 90 days. The move is intended to improve efficiency and service delivery by decongesting the Nyahururu office, which currently serves Nyandarua, Laikipia, and Samburu counties.

“The Olkalou Lands Registry is already 85pc complete, with only security installations for land record protection remaining. Once operational, it will greatly enhance access to land services for Nyandarua residents,” she stated.

She added that new offices would also be constructed in Laikipia and Samburu to further decentralize land services and bring them closer to the people.