LSK decries poor services at Kisii land registry

Kisii Saturday, July 1, 2023

KNA by Mercy Osongo

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) South West Branch officials have urged the Kisii Land Registry to improve their service delivery to ease the practice and delivery of legal services to the area people.

Speaking at the Kisii Land Registry offices in Kisii town, the Branch’s Secretary General, Polycarp Maroko said several lawyers had expressed dissatisfaction with the services offered at the office.  

Maroko noted the condition that one should bring the person they wanted to caution to the said office was impractical saying that a caution can be registered once the requisite documents are presented by the agreed party demanding the same.

Secondly, the Secretary-General said it was becoming impossible to secure a search or green card at the office because they were being requested to bring title deeds and a court order, thus delaying justice.

Maroko proposed that legal practitioners should be issued with green cards and searches once the requisite fee was paid and the practicing certificate presented.

He pointed out that the Land Registrar’s office should be open to advocates seeking audience with the officer during office hours, adding that the Power of Attorney documents must be registered regardless of the form as long as they comply with the prescribed contents as provided for under the rules.

In addition, the Secretary-General urged the office to restrict itself to confirming the authenticity of a confirmed grant and proceed to register a transmission as per the said grant without demanding documents already authenticated by the court during succession proceedings.

He called for the recruitment of additional staff at the office to reduce long queues and delays in customer service or instances where people are turned away and told to report to the office the following day.

Further, Maroko said the consultation of various stakeholders before implementing new policies is vital to improving service delivery in the office.

Advocate George Morara noted they will continue to highlight the issues affecting service delivery in the county saying they want to continue highlighting matters of land and access to justice.

In his response, Kisii Land Registrar, Charles Ayienda received the petition from the lawyers saying that the Registry must be reformed by the law.

“I will reform this Registry within the law and everybody who wants to join me in changing this Registry with 80 percent of the records that are forgery are welcome,” Ayienda said.

Courtesy ; K. N. A