Why can’t we adopt technology in land offices?

You will agree with me that property transactions take too long once you submit the requisite documents at Ministry of Lands offices countrywide. The inordinate delays are impacting negatively on real estate investors. For instance, all banks and other financial institutions will seldom finance a project without documentary evidence that the applicant is the valid owner of land. In such cases, a title deed or certificate of lease are the only valid documents that one can deposit with the banks as security for financial support. I am certain developments in Information Communication Technology can be of help. Can we adopt (such) technology? Do we have laws under the Constitution providing for adoption of technology on registries?

Joshua, Nairobi.

Computerisation of records at land registries will certainly ensure efficiency in property transactions. Currently, the use of manual records and documents at most registries is among reasons why some property transactions take forever.

Some of the paper documents and files disappear within the offices as some brokers and fraudsters collude with staff.

However, the last time I checked, implementation of provisions of the Land Registration Act on computerisation of land documents was on course in selected registries.

Computerisation would enhance timeliness of service, eliminate disappearance of documents, install a file tracking system and guarantee faster results of official searches.

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It would also guarantee improved access, information processing towards improving service delivery and ensure data availability for transactions, valuation, taxing and planning.

For decades, official searches could not be done on some Government Lands Act documents following their dilapidated.

Automation of such property records by creating a Document Management System (DMS) for authenticated cadastral survey plans countrywide would ensure efficiency.

A DMS would guarantee easy storage, retrieval, secure storage and back up. It will also be a one stop shop for obtaining a survey plan. There would also be no movement/misplacement of survey plans and they can also be used by several officials a time for quality control checks.

A file tracking system would reduce time taken to retrieve settlement plot files, ensure timeliness in transactions and reduce cases of missing files. According to the Land Registration Act, registries countrywide can transform from manual records into digital.

The law provides that the Registrar shall maintain a register and any other document in a secure, accessible and reliable format – including electronic files and an integrated land resource center. The Land Registration Act provides that the land register must contain the name, personal identification number, national identity card number and address of the proprietor.

In case of a body corporate, the name, postal and physical addresses and a certified copy of certificate of incorporation.

Other requirements are personal identification numbers, passport size photographs of people authorized and where necessary attesting the affixing of the common seal.

Names and addresses of previous proprietors, size, location, user and reference number of the parcel and any other particulars that the Registrar may determine.

And subject to the Constitution and any other law regarding freedom of and access to information, the Registrar can make any information in the register public electronically or any other means.