Land Records Digitization and Service Delivery in the Ministry of Lands in Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya Ministry of Lands has been plagued with rampant delays in accessing land records, registry services and numerous clerical errors that have affected service delivery. It is evident that service delivery problems within the department have been problem for most policymakers which resulted in the launch of the National Lands Management Information System geared towards improving service delivery. There have however been minimal research efforts to determine how the systems has affected the ministry hence this study sought to examine the effect of digitization of land records management system on service delivery. The records continuum theory and the technology acceptance model formed the basis of this study. A descriptive approach was employed, and the population targeted of staff at the Ministry of Lands main registry at Ardhi House. The study sampled 154 officials within the headquarters at the Ministry of Lands who are involved in the lands records management system. Primary data was sourced using structured questionnaires developed under the guidance of the study objectives. Google forms supplemented the physical data to enhance the response rate. A pretesting was caried out on 10% of the sample participants to determine the research instruments’ validity and reliability. Data analysis focused both descriptive and inferential analysis. Findings were presented using charts and tables. The findings of the correlation tests established there is a strong positive and significant relation between digitization of land records (r = .806**, sig = .000<.05) and the service delivery at the Ministry of Lands in Kenya. This implies that a unit change in these variables will result in a unit change in the service delivery. The implementation of land records management system provides a technique and method for land planning, management quantification and rationalization together with quick inquiry, analysis and innovation of land information, provides supplementary support for decision making and improves the traditional land management system through computer technologies and communications network. The study recommended that the Ministry should put up appropriate training programs to keep its employees updated with the current job requirements and training should be geared to all employees regardless of their gender and job category. The study recommended that during the implementation of the land records management system, security should be of the paramount consideration while developing software and processing data and the need of security policies has to be clearly told to all the employees working in the Ministry and they should be directed to adhere to these policies. The study also recommended that an Integrated Land Information Management System should be properly implemented. This will ensure that the Ministry delivers services to the expectations of the clients.