Written By Lisa Murimi
A parliamentary committee has been assigned to investigate the theft of 367 security papers used for printing title deeds.Â
The inquiry follows the mysterious disappearance of these critical documents last month, raising concerns about potential land fraud.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi directed the Lands Committee to investigate the matter after a petition from Machakos Senator Kavindu Muthama.
In her petition, Muthama requested that officials from the Ministry of Lands and the Government Printer be summoned to explain the steps being taken to recover the stolen papers.
The Ministry of Lands clarified that the missing documents were not actual title deeds but the special papers required to print them.
These papers become official title deeds only after being processed by the ministry and sealed with the Registrar’s stamp and signature.
Muthama emphasized the severity of the theft, describing it as a significant threat to the integrity of land ownership documents in Kenya.
She called for urgent action to prevent fraudulent title production and to secure the country’s land registration process.
The committee will also review the ministry’s long-term strategies for modernizing title deed protocols and protecting them from future thefts.
