The lands commission has called out counties over poor use of land resources and lack of spatial plans.
The National Land Commission said majority of counties continue to use land and land-based resources in an inequitable, inefficient, unproductive, and unsustainable manner.
NLC Land Use Planning, Research and Counties Coordination Committee commissioner Esther Murugi said lack of spatial planning, hinders optimal and sustainable use of land-based resources in the country.
“For the last 10 years, we only have six approved county spatial plans, which are 12 per cent. The spatial plans were supposed to have been done in the first five years and reviewed in 10 years. We need to take this seriously,” she said.
Murugi spoke on Monday at NLC’s offices in 316 Upper Hill chambers, when the commission launched the tools it will use for monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the national spatial plan and national land-use policy.
Present at the event were acting devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, NLC chairperson Gershom Otachi and NLC acting CEO Kabale Tache.
Article 67 (2) (h) of the Constitution 2010 mandates the National Land Commission to monitor and have oversight responsibilities over land use planning throughout the country.
Murugi said conflict will arise between national and devolved units should the remaining 41 counties fail to have spatial plans in place.
“There will be conflict during implementation of their spatial plans and we will also have overlaps,” she said.
A spatial plan is a 10-year GIS-based depiction of a county’s socio-economic development vision and programme.
It includes the distribution of people and activities, within the context of efficient, productive and sustainable use of land and other county spaces.
The plan is reviewed and updated every five years in order to inform the new County Integrated Development Plan.
Under the County Government Act, it is mandatory for counties to have a spatial plan in place.
Counties that have approved spatial plans in place include Lamu, Kericho, Makueni, Bomet, Baringo and Kilifi.
World Wide Fund For Nature supported five counties to develop their spatial plans.
These are Kwale (set to be launched next month), Lamu (approved), Narok (yet to be approved), Bomet (approved) and Kilifi (approved).
Some of the reasons why the devolved units have not developed the spatial plan include lack of resources and weak technical knowledge and skills.
Wamalwa urged counties that do not have spatial plans to develop them saying it will define how national space is utilised for optimal and sustainable use of land.
“This is imperative as it facilitates the achievement of the land policy principles of efficiency, equity, sustainability and productivity. The plan is anticipated to promote the attainment of national, social, economic and environmental goals and objectives,” he said.
The CS said the plan provides strategies and policies to deal with national challenges including urbanisation, regional imbalances and inequalities, rural development, environmental degradation, transportation and underutilisation of the resources.
“The implementation of the NSP will enable the country to achieve global competitiveness, balanced regional development, functional human settlements and environmental sustainability,” he said.
The National Land Use Policy sets out long term goals on land use management and aspires to promote the best land use practices for optimal utilisation of land resources in; a productive, efficient, equitable and sustainable manner.
Otachi said for the benefits of the national land use policy to be attained, there has to be concerted effort and deliberate steps to implement it.
He said the NLC will avail the tools launched to constitute a legitimate reference and link between the commission and the respective implementing agencies.
Otachi said the commission will work with implementing agencies to ensure that the country achieves sustainable land use management.
Tache lauded the national government for preparing and approving The National Spatial Plan and National Land Use Policy.
The tools launched have been designed to outline performing agencies, and their obligations as mentioned in the National Land Use Policy and National Spatial Plan.
Also, outline the procedures for monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the policy documents.
The tools also formulate clear reporting and feedback mechanism on the status of implementation and outline a follow up mechanism on corrective and reward measures issued by the commission.
The national land use policy implementation and oversight tool uses 11 parameters for monitoring and implementation of national land use policy.
These are agriculture and food security, environment and conservation, land management and land use cover, rangeland management, marine ecosystem and blue economy and water resources and catchment areas.
Others are extractive industries, urban development, tourism, heritage, sports and leisure, governance and transport and infrastructure.
Implementing agencies include public institutions, private, communities, non state actors, individual land holders.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
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