Local administrators in Migori have undergone land succession training to enable them to collect, edit, and process right, factual, and truthful write-ups. The initiative which was organised at Maranatha Assembly Church in Suna West Sub County by the Migori Woman Representative Office aimed to equip the chiefs with the necessary requisite skills and knowledge on how to handle succession claims. Migori Woman Member of Parliament Fatuma Mohamed said that the training forum was designed to educate chiefs on how to handle, process, and submit land succession claims that at most times, had denied the rightful owners their rightful share, with special cases being women. The county legislature noted that the local administrators were taught on the regulations and laws to follow when they were writing materials for land succession and title deep acquisition. She explained that some of the write-ups done in terms of land succession and title deed acquisition have ended up in court where wrong decisions have been rendered denying widows, vulnerable, the disabled, and orphans the right to own properties. She noted that some chiefs have been relying on the customs of the Luo community to deny widows and girls the right to own land and property. Fatuma, however, noted that the Law of Succession Act in Kenya gives both male and female children the same inheritance rights of acquiring land and property. Fatuma pinpointed that the initiative by her office, the county, and the national government would help the vulnerable group to acquire title deeds from succession cases in order to allow them to live a decent life. Senior Legal Counsel and Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo said that he was willing to share certain experiences to help the local administrators handle succession cases. He said that the community interest and the law in terms of land acquisition and succession was an emotive subject that should be well-handed within the framework of law. Amollo underscored that the role of chiefs in inheritance claims was a key ingredient to providing what is rightfully owed to an individual. The legislature added that how to resolve land disputes among other land issues should emanate from the existing legal framework that includes; the Land Act, the 2010 Constitution, the Marriage Act, and the Succession Act. Amollo explained that the training initiative will enlighten the local administrators on how they should execute their roles when it comes to matters of land issues and succession. Migori County Land’s Registrar Nyadoro Nyaberi said that he will work closely with the office of the Woman Representative and the county government to speed up the processing of title deeds to vulnerable persons. Nyaberi however, called upon the chiefs to help his office in identifying the vulnerable persons in society acquire the crucial document that can assist them financially. He urged the local administrators to utilise the education acquired from the judiciary and lands personnel to help them in collecting and processing the succession cases. The official also disclosed that the lands office had 40,000 title deeds from Nyatike Sub County that have not been collected from their registries. He urged the chiefs in Nyatike Sub Counties to identify those who are alive and have not obtained their title deeds to come forward for issuing of the same. ‘These titles are obtained free with no cost and I have requested that once the chiefs identify the owners, we will proceed and take the 40,000 titles to Nyatike for issuing’, he assured. He also said that his office will see how best to minimise the land costs, especially to the vulnerable group in order for them to acquire their rightful titles. Similarly, Migori County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands John Kobado said that land was a very emotive issue that should be handled right at the chief’s level. Kobado acknowledged that women in Migori are the most affected lot in terms of inheritance and succession with only one percent of women owning property, land included. The County Official blamed the Luo customs of men’s inheritance that has disadvantaged women and widows denying them crucial documents that can assist them financially. He, however, affirmed that the county government will work closely with the national government to solve some of the succession cases, especially for vulnerable persons. Consequently, Mr. Kennedy Okong’o, an Advocate of the High Court, affirmed that all vulnerable persons identified in the succession cases in Migori, if need be, will acquire probono services in order to handle the succession issues seamlessly.

Source: Kenya News Agency