Government plans to establish a blockchain based land registry that is less vulnerable to corruption and human interference.
Blockchain is a digital network that allows digital information to be distributed across a network of computers. This means that the data stored does not remain in one location.
Speaking yesterday during the World Artificial Intelligence Show held in Nairobi, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of ICT Jerome Ochieng said the move will help improve ability to track and trace all land transactions in the country.
“Authenticity and management of title deeds is a major challenge in land records management, we are banking on the use of blockchain to properly manage this documents, introduce certainty of documents and ease the transfer of the same,” Ochieng said.
According to the Distributed Ledgers and Artificial Intelligence Taskforce chairman Bitange Ndemo, the use of Blockchain would help relevant regulators, and the Auditor general is able to see what money exchanges hand.
This, he says would disrupt middlemen in the land registry sector, saving the government money lost through tax evasion and unpaid land rates.
The move will be the second State attempt to digitize land registry services after the first attempt in 2018 failed to take off. Phase one of the launch was meant to begin with Nairobi and Central region with an aim of rolling out the online system to all 61 registries by 2020.
Establishment of the blockchain based land registry means that individuals will be able to conduct all land-related processes online, including the transfer of ownership, registration of charges, and discharges.
Other processes include cautions and withdrawals, payment of land rent, stamp duty and capital gains tax, make official land searches and application for appropriate consents.
Currently, the government is in the process of collecting biometric data such as ear, eye and voice patterns, and satellite details of Kenyans homes.
According to Jerome, the data is expected to improve the planning and delivery of crucial government services in the country.
Last year, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also announced plans to use blockchain technology to deal with allocation and funds management of 500,000 low-cost housing units targeted under the Big 4 Agenda.
