Governor Natembeya’s Administration to Digitalize Lands Department
Governor George Natembeya’s administration in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) under the Digital lands Governance Programme (DLGP) will soon roll out a digitization program at the department of lands.
The initiative would see all files in the department converted to digital copies to make them accessible and reduce cases of missing files and further curb illegal activities.
Speaking after hosting a team from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Cluster III Technical Coordinator on Digital Land Governance Programme led by Linda Achieng, Lands CEC Janerose Nasimiyu Mutama said the county is focused on streamlining the delivery of service at the department.
She said her department will continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that Trans Nzoia residents enjoy improved services saying for years, land transactions have been a nightmare to many people.
“To enhance efficient and effective land governance through the digitization of land records and processes, we must move a step further to paperless documentation of land records” she stated.
She said the new administration has prioritized resolving issues at the department understanding that many parcels of land that had been set aside for public good have been grabbed by private developers.
She appealed to FAO to help ascertain rights and interests in land for all, and hasten recognition, protection, and registration of community land rights to secure tenure and support the establishment of an integrated application approach to land records digitization and information management system.
The FAO program Coordinator Achieng Opiyo observed that the digitalization program will take a period of 5 years ending on 31st March 2027.
“The program is geared towards improved security of tenure and equitable access to land and natural resources for enhancement of livelihoods and sustainable social economic development,” said Achieng.
The program, she adds, envisions improved food and nutrition security, livelihood, and sustainable development through equitable and secure access and management of land as outlined in vision 2030.
The digitalization program will be implemented by a County Technical Committee chaired by CEC Lands with, the FAO’s Focal person becoming the Secretary.
Other members are; County Physical planner, Land surveyor, Land registrar, Adjudication, Legal, Agricultural, and Environment Officers, Economic planner, inter-religious rep, communications, and a nominee from the County Commissioner’s Office.
Present during the meeting were the Chief officer of Lands housing, planning, and Physical planning and urban development Philip Captain, Beatrice Wangila (Director of physical planning), The National Lands Commission representative Lagat Zeddy, the County Surveyor Emmanuel Mutange, Fred Mochoge from the department of Environment, Caeser Kiptoo from the county legal office and Gerald Sharon from the land registry.
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