Names of Public Land Buyers to Be Published Soon – Lands Ministry

 Government has announced plans to publish a comprehensive list of individuals, companies, and organisations that applied for or acquired public lands between 2017 and 2024, as part of a renewed effort to promote transparency and accountability in the administration of state lands.

The announcement was by the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, during a press conference outlining ongoing reforms within the Ministry and the Lands Commission. According to the Deputy Minister, the move forms part of broader institutional reforms aimed at strengthening oversight, improving land governance and ensuring that the allocation of public lands follows due process.

Mr. Sulemana disclosed that authorities have spent several months conducting an extensive review of thousands of public land applications submitted within the seven-year period. The review examined requests made by private individuals, companies, and various organisations seeking to acquire, lease, or use government lands across different regions of the country.

He revealed that the assessment uncovered a number of irregularities within the applications reviewed. Some requests failed to meet the necessary legal and administrative requirements, while in other cases, previously approved allocations were withdrawn after authorities identified inconsistencies or breaches of procedure.

According to him, more than 8,000 applications were scrutinized during the exercise. While some of these applications have been revoked due to irregularities, others have been confirmed as valid and remain in force.

Mr. Sulemana emphasized that making the information public is necessary to enhance accountability and allow citizens to know how public lands have been distributed.

“Over 8,000 applications were reviewed. Some have been revoked, while others that met the requirements have not been affected. The public deserves to know who acquired government lands and how much was paid for them,” he stated.

He further indicated that one of the key recommendations approved by Cabinet was the full disclosure of all public land applications reviewed within the period under consideration.

As part of this directive, the Lands Commission will soon publish detailed records of both completed and pending applications. The information will be presented on a regional basis, allowing the public to clearly identify applicants and allocations in each part of the country.

Government officials say the initiative is expected to improve public trust in land administration, deter abuse of state resources, and ensure that public lands are allocated in a fair and transparent manner.