Lands Department Sees Revenue Boost with Cashless Payments

Malindi – The State Department for Lands and Physical Planning in Kenya has reported a significant improvement in revenue collection following the adoption of cashless payments for land transaction services. This improvement was announced by Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Maalim, the Secretary for Administration State Department, during a public participation forum in Malindi.

According to Kenya News Agency, the digitization of land records and automation of revenue collection has been effective in resolving issues such as double land allocations and poor revenue collection. “In the last four to five months since we introduced cashless revenue collection, the revenue is three times the amount we used to collect before automation in those stations,” he stated. The next target for this digitization initiative is the Mombasa station.

The forum, held at Nidhamia Hall in Malindi town, was attended by representatives from the six coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, and Taita Taveta. Senior officials from the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development facilitated the event, which discussed the proposed Land Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Review of Land Sector Regulations.

Mr. Maalim highlighted the Ministry’s focus on digitizing all government records nationwide to simplify land transactions and encouraged Kenyans to use e-citizen services. He also defended the proposed new land transaction fees, arguing that the current charges, unchanged for a long time, are inadequate under current economic conditions.

The public was invited to review the proposed laws and regulations on the State Department’s website and submit feedback by November 26. Maalim assured that the views of Kenyans would be considered in the finalization of these laws.

Addressing the longstanding issue of squatters in the Coast Region, Mr. Maalim revealed that the government had allocated Sh1 billion to purchase land from legitimate landlords to settle landless individuals. “The President has said that in the Coast region, which has suffered the squatter menace for eons, he will avail Sh1 billion to buy land from landlords and settle the squatters,” he said.

The Ministry plans to formalize the settlement of Kenyans living on government land or land belonging to absent landlords, adhering to due diligence and the law. Acting Chief Land Registrar David Nyandoro echoed Maalim’s sentiments, stating that the government aims to balance the rights of the landless and landowners.

Bishop Joseph Maisha of Ushindi Baptist Church in Mombasa, speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, commended the government’s land reforms and the opportunity for public input. He recognized the challenges posed by the cost of living but stressed the need for cooperation with the government to address the region’s long-standing issues.

The forum saw a mix of opinions on the proposed land transaction charges, with some participants considering them fair and others viewing them as excessive and potentially counterproductive.