Ultimate guide to understanding Ardhisasa
Ardhisasa is an online platform that allows Citizens, other stakeholders and interested parties to interact with land information held and processes undertaken by Government. It has been developed jointly by the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning (MoLPP) and the National Land Commission (NLC) and key partners in Government. It allows the lodgment of applications for various services offered by the Ministry and the Commission. The applications are handled through the platform and responses presented through it.
This National Land Information Management System (NLIMS), a digital land resource management platform aptly named Ardhisasa was lunched by the president Uhuru Kenyatta to resolve the historical problems experienced by Kenyans when undertaking transactions with the lands registry by easing access and providing a robust, stable and secure platform where transactions can take place in the click of a button.
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Additionally, Ardhisasa app is currently under development which will make Ardhisasa a one stop shop for all land related government services. In the meantime, people can carry out land transaction on this platform on phone or computer using your browser.
So what should Kenyans know and expect from this system which actually is one of its own kind in Africa? The following are the things Kenyans should know about this system.
1. Only digitized land platform in Africa
The Ardhisasa digital platform is the only digitized platform in Africa where buyers and sellers of land meet, transact land transactions and complete all statutory processes in just 48 hours. The system by April when it was being launched by the President Uhuru Kenyatta had recorded over 10,000 land transactions and has over 30,000 registered users. Lessons from elsewhere inform that it takes such high-level champions for transformative land information management systems such as this to be put in place
2. Ardhisasa digital platform is a system made solely in Kenya by Kenyans.
It was developed by an elite team of Kenyan software engineering practitioners and students. Only New Zealand has a system as robust as Ardhisasa globally. The governments of Namibia, Ghana, Botswana, DRC, Nigeria and Egypt have sent teams to understudy the system and replicate the same in their countries
Also read: Impact of digitization of land records
3. The Ardhisasa system will be rolled out in phases.
It is currently being applied in Nairobi County. This is specially to files in block formats. Thereafter the digitalization of land services will be rolled out to the rest of the country in a phased and gradual manner as feedback from users shall be in cooperated into the system. This project is expected to cover the entire country by the end of 2022. This means as at today other countries are still using the manual method of transaction for various land services.
4. The system will be able to accept requests for routine land transactions.
The Land Laws (Amendment) Act, 2016 (No. 28 of 2016) was assented to by the President on 31 August, 2016 and came into effect on 21 September, 2016. Areas where changes were made includes, Lessee’s pre-emptive rights of allocation, Land Settlement Fund Board of Trustees, Land Compensation Fund among others. Therefore, the system will be able to accept requests for routine land transactions because these land laws were recently amended to support the signing, submission, processing and even paying government fees electronically.
5. The system will enhance efficiency and reduce transaction time.
At the click of a button, citizens will carry out online transactions, drastically reducing human interactions. This will make it possible for anyone who want to do transaction to do it from anywhere. Unlike old manual where one has to physically visit the ministry of land offices, this system will provide Kenyans with ease when they are doing the transaction.
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6. Manual processing
As per the ministry advisory, all transactions relating to properties under the repealed RLA, except apartments, shall, going forward, be processed through the Ardhisasa system. That notwithstanding, for matters where the registration and stamping process had commenced through the manual system, the transaction shall be completed manually.
For instance, if you have a property in Nairobi registered under the repealed RLA, that is not an apartment, you need to log onto the system, register yourself and conduct a search on your property to see if it is in the system. If your property does not appear, you can reach out to ministry of land officials and they shall assist you to investigate and ascertain if the land is classified as a disputed title or public land thereafter guide you on the way forward.
7. Customer care support.
For propertied senior citizens unschooled on digital platforms who are apprehensive that their property details may be exposed to third parties as they seek help are advised not to panic. This because landowners whose properties are not in the system should not panic; the ministry has got a robust team of customer care agents who are available 24 hours a day to guide you through the process of uploading your property, and a special team that will help you verify the authenticity of your property.
Explained: How Ardhisasa will curb fraud on land transactions
8. Misplaced leasehold files from other counties
Through Ardhisasa, the Ministry is addressing and shall continue to address the issue of missing land records. Where the records are not traced, the process to reconstruct shall follow. Ones all land shall have been digitized, there shall be no issues of missing files because all the records shall be kept in digital format.
9. The platform will increase revenue generation.
Due to proper valuation, and payment of land rents as well as improve urban planning and infrastructure development. Ardhisasa has been integrated with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) systems which will boost revenue collection by sealing tax loopholes that have always been exploited by unscrupulous traders. This system will be able to track all property owners who some have not been paying land rents and other taxes. It is also expected to boost the on-going national titling programme of securing rights to land through issuance of titles
The government collects revenue when one buys land and pays stamp duty, land rent, capital gains and all the taxes associated with land transactions. With this platform, taxes henceforth be channeled directly to KRA because of the integrated platforms so that KRA is able to monitor in real time who is paying taxes, which taxes and how much is being paid.
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10. Minimize fraud and corruption that have pervaded land offices.
This system when fully operational will relieve innocent Kenyans from exploitation by cartels, middlemen and fraudsters. “Missing files, perennial fraud, corruption and illegal land transactions. During the launch, the President said, this system will help Kenyans from missing files and from corrupt brokers at Ardhi house “The system will resolve the land problem as it will provide an updated, verified database of land records that are easily available,” President Kenyatta said.
“Ardhisasa was developed with strict security protocols to ensure only data that is valid and complete, and whose integrity we can vouch for, is ingested into the system. Therefore, any property that has discrepancies in its documentation is currently not available for transaction. Said former Cabinet Secretary, Farida Karoney.
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Conclusion
Ardhisasa is a system has greatly altered the usual operation in Ardhi house and land sector in general for the entire country. However, its usage is still not clear to many Kenyans. Here at premier we have professional who can help you with all the services you may require. Always check our website for new updates.