Turkana County has commenced the next phase of the community land registration process with the demarcation and surveying of community land in Lorengippi, Nakurio and Lokiriama.
The exercise follows the successful completion of community sensitisation conducted last week to prepare residents for the technical field activities. The sensitisation also sought to ensure communities understood the demarcation and surveying process, their role in it and the importance of participating throughout the exercise.
The process is being undertaken jointly by the County Government of Turkana, the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, the National Land Commission (NLC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The initiative is supported by partners including the Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative (DLCI) and ACTED.
During the sensitisation exercise, community members were briefed on the objectives of the land registration process and given an opportunity to raise concerns, seek clarification and share their views on the exercise.
Chief Officer for Lands Leah Losuru, who is leading the team, said the demarcation and survey exercise was an important step towards securing community land rights and protecting the interests of the three communities.
She noted that the process would also contribute to strengthening cross-border peace initiatives by addressing land-related issues between communities in Turkana and neighboring West Pokot County.
Losuru added that the exercise would pave the way for the eventual issuance of community land titles.
Technical teams from the NLC, FAO and the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning are working alongside the County Government of Turkana to undertake the field activities, with continued participation by local communities expected throughout the process.
The commencement of the exercise marks a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen land governance, secure community land tenure and promote peaceful coexistence among the three communities.
