The Ministry of Lands has initiated a plan to waive more than Sh6 billion in interest on unpaid settlement fees to help thousands of Kenyans collect long-overdue title deeds from registries across the country.

Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the move is aimed at clearing the backlog of uncollected titles, many of which remain at land registries due to accumulated interest charges that have made it difficult for beneficiaries to complete payments.

Speaking during the opening of the new Malindi Land Registry, Wahome revealed that a Cabinet memo on the proposal has already been forwarded to the Attorney General and the Treasury Cabinet Secretary for consideration.

“I have sent a request to the Treasury CS. We have also discussed the matter with the President so that, if agreed, we can waive the interest on the fees,” she said. “I have a pending Cabinet memo, which I have submitted to the AG and the CS for the Treasury.”

Her statement followed appeals by Kilifi leaders, who said that many local residents were unable to collect their land ownership documents due to huge debts owed to the Settlement Fund Trustees (SFT).

They urged the national government to consider scrapping the interest to allow people to settle the principal amounts.

Among those who made the appeal were Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, National Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya, Kaloleni MP Paul Katana, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi, and former Magarini MP Harrison Kombe.

They argued that the high fees have become a major barrier to land ownership.

Wahome acknowledged the challenge, saying many documents remain idle in land registries, including 33,000 title deeds currently lying uncollected at the newly launched Malindi Lands Registry.

She encouraged beneficiaries of settlement schemes to clear the “small fees” and collect their documents, describing title deeds as critical for land security and ownership.

During the event, Wahome also directed her ministry’s officials to close all outstanding settlement schemes dating back to 1960 and issue title deeds to the rightful owners so that discharges can be processed.

She added that some 7,000 new title deeds have been processed for settlement schemes and adjudication sections in Kilifi and that she would return to distribute them to residents.

The CS further urged foreigners who currently hold title deeds under freehold or 999-year leases to surrender them and be issued 99-year leases in line with the 2010 Constitution and updated government land policies.

She announced that more than 170,000 land transaction documents had already been transferred to the new Malindi registry, which will serve Malindi and Magarini sub-counties.

On land adjudication, Wahome said work is ongoing in several areas within Kilifi County, including Kibokoni, Chakama Phase III, Adu/Kamale, Pumwani Phase III, and Wakala.

To meet growing demand for land services, Wahome also announced plans to set up three additional land control boards in Kilifi to support the existing two.

Governor Mung’aro called on land officers to work closely with residents to resolve disputes and facilitate the smooth handling of land documentation across the county.