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By Milliam Murigi

In 2019, Jane Wambui, a former educator from Donholm estate in Nairobi, came across a “For Sale” notice on her property. An individual had fabricated her land certificate and put her house up for sale without her awareness.

I received a call from a friend who had come across an advertisement for a plot using my parcel number,” she remembers. “When I went to Ardhi House, the officials couldn’t locate my file. It was very frightening.

Subsequent months were marked by stress and constant communication between government departments, legal representatives, and law enforcement officials before she ultimately succeeded in regaining her property. According to her, this ordeal revealed how susceptible landowners were under the previous manual registration process, where documents frequently disappeared and deceitful individuals operated with ease.

If ArdhiSasa had been around back then, it wouldn’t have occurred,” she states. “Now I can access my land information whenever I want. No one can interfere with my property without me being aware.

ArdhiSasa serves as Kenya’s digital land management system, allowing residents to carry out online land-related activities such as land inquiries, title changes, and lease extensions without having to go to land offices in person. It is a key government initiative created under the National Land Information Management System (NLIMS) aimed at digitizing land records and improving service efficiency.

The program is a component of Kenya’s larger Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) strategy, designed to digitalize essential public services and ensure they are available, safe, and clear. It particularly seeks to eradicate corruption, fraud, and inefficiencies within Kenya’s land management system.

“Due to digital transformation, we have greatly minimized the occurrence of fraud incidents and counterfeit land documents,” states Hon. Alice Wahome, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development.

Our objective is to map, register, and make all land in Kenya accessible on a safe digital system.

For Mary Njoki, a resident of Nairobi, this digital transformation has been a game-changer. When she chose to purchase a plot in Kasarani last year, her attorney recommended checking the title through ArdhiSasa prior to completing the payment.

Within a short time, I verified that the land was indeed owned by the seller,” she states. “I didn’t need to go to any office or interact with agents. All information was straightforward and easy to track.

Having this assurance, Mary proceeded with the transaction and finalized the ownership transfer via the internet. For the first time, she felt secure purchasing land in Kenya. The system provided her with a sense of calm.

Real estate developers are also celebrating the digital transformation of the land registry. Moses Muriithi, CEO of Fanaka Real Estate, states that ArdhiSasa has greatly enhanced transparency and minimized instances of fraudulent title documents. Additionally, the incorporation of digital payments via M-Pesa and eCitizen has made the procedure more straightforward for both developers and purchasers.

The system has simplified the process. A land search that previously took three days can now be done in a few hours,” mentions Muriithi. “You have the ability to monitor your application and view precisely where your documents are at any given moment. Additionally, you can settle stamp duty online and receive a receipt immediately. Previously, this process took weeks. Transfers that used to last for months now take approximately 30 days.

Nevertheless, he points out that not all procedures have been digitized yet. Assessments and division still involve on-site inspections by officials, which may cause delays in transactions. The subsequent phase should focus on complete digital transformation and improved collaboration between the national and local governments. Even with these shortcomings, Muriithi is confident that the system is restoring public confidence.

“At least now, you can sign in and monitor your document instead of fretting over whether someone at Ardhi House lost it,” Muriithi remarks.

The shift to a digital land registry has also altered the way legal professionals manage property transactions. Lawrence Gachanja, an attorney at Gachanja Mwangi & Co. Advocates, notes that the system has not only improved efficiency but also set higher standards for adherence to regulations.

Digital transformation isn’t negative—it has improved efficiency,” he states. “Land searches are now instant, as long as the title is confirmed, and documentation has significantly decreased.

Nevertheless, Gachanja highlights that errors in data input or record-keeping may extend the transfer duration. This is why platform users should rely on experts such as attorneys and surveyors who have a deeper understanding of the procedure.

As he stated, ArdhiSasa has introduced more organization and responsibility into land dealings by requiring the participation of experts. Previously, this was not necessary, but now each transaction must involve a lawyer. The system smoothly links landowners, purchasers, legal professionals, and surveyors, making sure that each stage of the process is clear and accurately recorded.

Gachanja mentions that for individuals who are tech-savvy, the platform is straightforward to navigate and operates smoothly. All that is required is to adhere to the instructions. Nevertheless, digital skills still pose a difficulty for certain users.

“Although the advantages are evident, obstacles continue to be present. A significant number of Kenyans have not yet submitted their land records for verification, and knowledge about the platform is still limited. Certain procedures, like approvals at the county level, are still handled manually, which hinders the digitization process,” Muriithi notes.

Another significant issue is cybersecurity. He mentioned that certain citizens are reluctant to upload their land records online because of worries regarding data safety and confidentiality. He also stated that for digital transformation to earn complete public confidence, the government needs to guarantee that people’s information remains secure. Robust encryption, dependable backups, and stringent access control protocols are crucial in preventing tampering or cyber threats.

“People are worried that their documents might fall into the wrong hands if the system is compromised. We need to consider land information as data related to national security. A breach could lead to significant repercussions,” Muriithi states.

He also proposes increasing access for individuals without smartphones or internet availability. A USSD version of ArdhiSasa might enable reaching rural landowners who are technologically marginalized.

As per the Cabinet Secretary, the Ministry of Lands intends to implement ArdhiSasa in all 47 counties by 2026. Currently, the services are accessible only in Nairobi County, which serves as the testing area.

Although there are many advantages, specialists warn that the system is not completely reliable. Busalile Jack Mwimali, a law instructor and High Court of Kenya advocate, notes that a major issue is the possibility of data loss and damaged database accuracy caused by a single database.

Keeping all data on one platform raises the risk of cyberattacks, resulting in data loss, changes, or tampering. To reduce these dangers, the government must spend on enterprise relational database management systems to improve the online system’s security, which comes at a high cost.

“To ensure Ardhisasa is effective and secure, Kenya needs to invest in a strong, resilient database system and implement reliable backups to protect land records from system failures and cyber threats,” states Mwimali.

Another challenge involves developing a strong data model that can handle and adjust to evolving survey designs and information. This demands a substantial monetary commitment to achieve top performance. A perfect data model necessitates purchasing costly software and putting in place strict security protocols to create a stable and enduring system, which brings about several financial difficulties.

“To ensure credibility, the system must have consistent cybersecurity reviews, including regular vulnerability assessments. Meanwhile, land registries should remain recognized as essential infrastructure, guaranteeing that both physical and digital security are given top priority,” Mwimali adds.

Furthermore, in the absence of a well-structured online system, individuals utilizing property transfer services, particularly those who are not comfortable with digital platforms, may fall victim to deceitful, technologically proficient persons. Such people might take advantage of their limited understanding to illegally acquire or transfer their land to someone else.

Depending only on digital transactions may also cause unofficial land deals among individuals who lack access to the online system, especially in remote regions with limited internet connectivity or among people who are unable to read, leading to land transfers that are not registered and cannot be legally enforced.