Public Accounts Committee Queries Land Record Digitisation Delay in KE

• The Public Accounts Committee has raised concern over the slow implementation of land records digitisation in Kenya.
• Only a handful of land registries have been fully digitised and migrated to the National Land Management Information System.
• The delayed rollout of the system has significant implications for the land sector, including increased risk of errors and fraud.

According to the reports, only a handful of land registries have been fully digitised and migrated to the National Land Management Information System, commonly known as 'Ardhi Sasa'.

The Public Accounts Committee has expressed concern over the slow implementation of land records digitisation in Kenya, citing delays that have slowed service delivery and exposed the land sector to fraud. The committee's concerns were raised during an examination of the Auditor-General's Reports for the financial years ended 30 June 2024 and 30 June 2025 on the accounts of the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning. According to the reports, only a handful of land registries have been fully digitised and migrated to the National Land Management Information System, commonly known as 'Ardhi Sasa'. The system's delayed implementation has significant implications for the land sector, which is already vulnerable to errors and fraud due to manual record-keeping practices.

The National Land Management Information System was designed to modernise land administration in Kenya by providing a digital platform for recording and managing land transactions. However, the system's rollout has been plagued by delays, with only 3 out of 83 land registries fully digitised as of June 2025. The Auditor-General's report flagged the delayed implementation as a major concern, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the issue. In response to the audit queries, Principal Secretary Nixon Korir acknowledged that the system has been rolled out in some areas, including Nairobi and Murang'a, but admitted that more work was needed to complete the rollout.

The delayed implementation of the National Land Management Information System has significant implications for lawyers and stakeholders in the land sector. With manual record-keeping practices still prevalent, the risk of errors and fraud is high, and compliance exposures are likely to increase. The system's rollout delays also raise concerns about service delivery, as citizens continue to rely on outdated and inefficient systems. Lawyers should be aware of these potential risks and take steps to mitigate them, including ensuring that clients' land transactions are properly recorded and managed.

Lawyers should watch for potential compliance exposures in the land sector due to the delayed implementation of the National Land Management Information System, which may lead to increased risk of fraud and errors in service delivery.

Source: Original reporting via AllAfrica