Parliament approves law mandating public land registration notice in Kenya Gazette
The bill, sponsored by Ruiru MP Simon King’ara, was initially passed by the National Assembly on March 20, 2024, and later forwarded to the Senate.
The National Assembly has approved an amendment requiring all transactions involving public land to be publicly announced in the Kenya Gazette.
The move comes after the assembly adopted a Senate amendment to the Land (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 40 of 2022), making it mandatory for the land registrar to issue a gazette notice before completing any registration of public land.
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The bill, sponsored by Ruiru MP Simon King’ara, was initially passed by the National Assembly on March 20, 2024, and later forwarded to the Senate.
The amendment aims to strengthen accountability and ensure transparency in public land management, addressing a history of irregular allocations.
Under Clause 5 of the Bill, the registrar is now required to “publish a notice in the Gazette specifying the particulars of the registration” for all public land transactions under the proposed sub-section (16).
The National Assembly’s approval clears the way for the bill to be sent to President William Ruto for assent.
The House highlighted that the amendment is crucial in tackling the long-standing issue of fraud and unlawful allocation of public land to private individuals.
By mandating public disclosure, the law will provide a permanent and accessible record while encouraging informed public participation.
"The amendment reduces the risk of fraudulent transactions, promotes informed public participation, and provides a permanent, accessible record of land registrations," the National Assembly said in a statement.
Recent cases underscore the need for stricter oversight. On August 1, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission recovered public land worth Sh104 million in Mombasa following a ruling by the Environment and Land Court.
The reclaimed parcel, originally owned by the Kenya Airports Authority, had been unlawfully acquired by a former Coast Province Physical Planner.
In another case, land belonging to Kenya Railways was recovered in Mombasa County years after it was illegally allocated to private individuals.
By requiring gazette publication, lawmakers say the amendment will safeguard public land, reduce disputes, and ensure that citizens remain informed about land transactions involving the government.
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