Parliament has initiated an investigation into the theft of security papers used for printing title deeds at the Government Printer. This comes after the documents mysteriously vanished, a situation the Ministry of Lands attributed to the activities of land cartels.
On Wednesday, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi instructed the Lands Committee to look into the issue following a petition from Machakos Senator Kavindu Muthama. "This incident poses a significant threat to the integrity of land ownership documents in our country and could potentially lead to widespread land fraud," Muthama stated in her petition.
In her appeal, Muthama called for the committee to summon officials from the Ministry of Lands and the Government Printer to provide an explanation of the measures being taken to recover the stolen security papers. Additionally, the committee will investigate the steps being implemented to track and recover the missing documents, ensuring they are not misused for fraudulent purposes.
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Muthama also emphasized the need for a progress report on the ongoing investigation into the theft and urged the committee to identify those responsible, including any land cartels involved. The panel has also been tasked with reviewing the security protocols at the Government Printer and other relevant institutions to prevent future incidents.
“The Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development must take immediate and decisive action to address this critical issue,” Muthama urged.
As part of the Senate probe, the committee will outline the actions taken by the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning to raise public awareness about the risks of land fraud. It will also focus on the ministry’s strategies to educate the public on the importance of verifying the authenticity of title deeds and related documents, such as survey plans, mutation forms, and deed plans.
Moreover, the investigation will assess the ministry’s long-term plans to use modern technology and protocols to protect paper title deeds from loss, theft, or damage.
Last month, the Ministry of Lands caused public alarm when it revealed the theft of 367 security papers at the Government Printer. However, the ministry later clarified that these documents were components used in the titling process, not actual title deeds.