Ardhi House reforms bearing fruit, PS Nixon Korir says
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, Nixon Korir, has said reforms being implemented at the ministry are yielding positive results, even as he warned cartels against frustrating the reforms.
The PS said the reforms, including resolving pending issues with the Ardhisasa platform, fighting land cartels through collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and improving service provision through the revamping of the customer service desks will contribute to enhancing the performance of the department.
Mr Korir also said the reforms in the state department will include transfers of some staff – including clerks, records officers and registrars – with the purpose of improving service delivery.
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“No one is immune to transfer. Transfers are mandatory for any civil servant, so when you see people going that far to block their transfers there is something there and that’s how cartels work,” he said, calling for change as some officials have served in their positions for close to 15 years with no positive impact.
He made the remarks as it emerged that some of those affected in the transfers have been strategizing to mobilize powerful forces to fight on their behalf while some have moved to court and served the State Department of Lands and Physical Planning with suit notices.
The PS said there has been a pushback from respective persons, who have had tendencies of heading to court to resist the planned changes.
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“The court cases have raised eyebrows because it has been observed that Ardhi House employees, unlike other government workers, have a tendency to file cases at the Industrial Court to resist routine transfers.”
The PS added that the ministry is working on resolving issues on the Ardhisasa platform, with a technical committee formed by Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru formulating solutions.
In early April, Mr Njeru chaired a meeting that brought together department staff, Law Society of Kenya and other stakeholders at the Geospatial Data Centre in Ruaraka, Nairobi, where they agreed to form a technical team to audit the platform and formulate solutions.
The technical team has already resolved several issues and is expected to present its final report to the CS and the PS early next month.
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