SENATE COMMITTEE PROBES JAMII BORA HOUSING WRANGLES AS KAJIADO GOVERNOR CITES IRREGULARITIES

SENATE COMMITTEE PROBES JAMII BORA HOUSING WRANGLES AS KAJIADO GOVERNOR CITES IRREGULARITIES

Friday, November 28, 2025
Kajiado County

The Senate Committee on Roads, Housing and Transportation chaired by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch has launched a fresh inquiry into the Jamii Bora Housing Project in Kisaju, Kajiado County, following disputes over land ownership, rates, and approval of housing units.
Chairman Eddy Oketch said that the petitioners have waited for long for their title deeds.
Governor Joseph ole Lenku told the committee that the county is dealing with “an amorphous entity which borders on criminality,” adding that Jamii Bora’s structure and compliance with county laws remain unclear. He emphasized that rent and land rates must be charged in accordance with the law and that “Jamii Bora is not special before the law.”
Marsabit Senator Mohammed Chute pressed the Governor to clarify whether the project’s title is freehold or leasehold, and who—between the petitioners and the developer—should pay land rates. Governor Lenku disclosed that 710 units were approved, while 117 units were constructed without county approval.
Kajiado County CEC for Lands, Hamilton Lekuka Parseina, told senators that title deeds for residents cannot be processed due to existing restrictions on the mother title. “We cannot process the title deeds when there is a restriction,” he said.
A petitioner, Samuel Wahome, admitted that he personally requested the restriction on the mother title to stop the bank from auctioning houses due to loan defaults in 2013.
Committee Chairperson Eddy Oketch questioned Jamii Bora developer Ms. Sofia Ingrid on the delays in issuing individual title deeds. Ingrid assured the committee that by January 2026, all residents would receive their titles. She said the green card—previously missing from the Ministry of Lands—had since been recovered. She also appealed to the county not to demolish unapproved houses, saying the residents were innocent buyers.
Ms. Sofia Ingrid revealed she negotiated land rate reduction amounting to Ksh. 17 million, which was paid through a Kingdom Bank loan in June 2023.
Kingdom Bank’s Head of Legal Services, Jack Kimathi, told the committee that in 2013 the process began to convert the land from freehold to leasehold to facilitate issuance of individual titles. He said the developer must sign a surrender of title to enable the bank to process titles for homeowners.
Governor Lenku insisted on full compliance: “Let Jamii Bora comply with the law first. Let them submit their documents, and they will pay land rates to the last penny.” He committed to giving direction on land rates once documents are submitted within a week.
Petitioners’ chairman Calvin Munayi urged the county, bank, and developer to collaborate to ensure residents finally receive title deeds.
Senator Peris Tobiko noted that the 117 unapproved units were paid for in cash, insisting that the developer must sign the surrender of title to resolve the longstanding dispute.
CEC Parseina added that the developer must pay land rates, approval fees for the unapproved units, and subdivision fees as required by county planning regulations.