Communities secure historic land rights as Wahome issues 60 title deeds across 369,000 acres in Samburu
The Mt Kenya Times 
CS Alice Wahome in Samburu
Landmark titles lock in community land and public utilities across one of Kenya’s most land-contested counties
By Waithaka Kariuki
Sixty title deeds covering more than 369,000 acres of community land and critical public utilities have been handed over in Samburu East, in what has been described as one of the most significant land tenure milestones the region has ever witnessed.
Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Alice Wahome presided over the landmark ceremony, saying the deeds would empower local communities, reduce long-standing land disputes and open the door to lasting socio-economic development across the county.
“Today, we have made history in Samburu East,” Wahome said. “This milestone secures over 369,000 acres for the people of Samburu and lays a strong foundation for future development.” Her words drew an enthusiastic response from residents and leaders who had gathered for the occasion.
Wahome emphasised that the exercise was not merely an administrative process but a deliberate step towards fulfilling the government’s constitutional obligation to protect community land rights and ensure equitable access to land ownership for all Kenyans, regardless of where they live.
The deeds cover both community land and critical public utilities, meaning schools, health facilities and other public assets in the area now enjoy formal legal protection. For many residents, it is the first time their land has been officially recognised, ending years of uncertainty that had discouraged investment and fuelled conflict.
Local leaders were unanimous in welcoming the development. They said the titles would provide the legal certainty that communities needed to plan for the future, attract meaningful investment and support sustainable development programmes across Samburu East and the wider county.
Wahome was joined at the ceremony by Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir, Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit, Woman Representative Pauline Lenguris, Samburu East MP Lentoijoni Lekumontare, Waso Ward MCA Lpesina Kelvin Lemantaan and Senator Steve Ltumbesi Lelegwe, alongside other local leaders and officials.
Their presence underscored the political and institutional weight behind the exercise, signalling a coordinated commitment at both national and county level to resolve historical land injustices and put communities on firmer footing.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development says the Samburu East exercise is part of a broader national programme to streamline land ownership, protect public land and deliver inclusive development. Similar exercises are expected to be rolled out in other counties in the months ahead.
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