- Wahome said her ministry was also working closely with the Public Service Commission to finalise the employment of 100 valuers.
- This, she said, is meant to address the current shortage of valuers across registries in the country.
Image: DPCS
Land CS Alice Wahome has challenged players in the land sector to harness technology, such as artificial intelligence, to help transform the sector.
Wahome, who spoke on Wednesday, said she is cognisant of the critical role that her ministry plays and how using technological advancements can help attain the vision of secure land tenure and a sustainable built environment for all.
“Artificial Intelligence is advancing at a record speed and becoming a prevalent topic of discussion for many industries and sectors, including the surveying industry. My ministry is keen on utilising AI and machine learning to enhance our operations, especially when it comes to land use studies and land cover classification,” Wahome said.
The CS made her remarks at Pre-AGM conference for the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya.
The theme of the AGM is "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Environmental, Social, and Governance-Compliant Surveying.”
Wahome challenged surveyors, valuers, estate agents, and property managers to employ machine learning algorithms to effectively analyse data to stay afloat in their competitive environment.
“I take note that AI-powered software and tools will continue to help surveyors collect, process, and analyse large amounts of data, making it easier to map out land features, identify potential hazards, and assess the impact of development projects. It is at this juncture that I challenge you to see how the use of specialised drones and other unmanned airborne vehicles can be utilised to provide real-time mapping for decision making and property management,” the CS said.
Wahome said ArdhiSasa, the ministry’s flagship initiative, stands at the forefront of technological innovation in the land sector.
“By leveraging artificial intelligence, ArdhiSasa can revolutionise land administration and management, making processes more efficient, transparent, and accessible to all citizens. My ministry is now rolling out ArdhiSasa in Murang'a county, with efforts being made to cover Mombasa county. We will continue improving the system as we listen to your concerns and feedback.”
Wahome said the ongoing developments, such as population growth and connected issues of food security and urbanisation, have put land and water resources under considerable pressure.
“There is therefore a need to employ AI for smart administration and management of land as a scarce and finite resource,” she said.
The National Land Information Management System, known as ArdhiSasa, was launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on April 27, 2021.
The system is a digital land resource management platform designed to enhance the security of land records, speed up transactions, and curb fraud.
Through the system, users can lodge and track the progress of their transactions without having to visit ministry offices.
The platform aims to address historical injustices and curb fraud, corruption, and manipulation of land records.
Wahome said her ministry is cognisant of the challenges posed by varying charges for endorsing sectional plans across different counties.
She said they may need to make changes to the regulations to make it clear what counties should charge for endorsing survey plans.
“I also call upon the Director of Surveys, the Land Surveyors’ Board, the Association of Licensed Land Surveyors of Kenya, and ISK to ensure that clear standard operating procedures are drafted in the form of a user manual that will go a long way in providing guidance whenever sectional property surveys are carried out or processed.”
Wahome said her ministry was also working closely with the Public Service Commission to finalise the employment of 100 valuers.
This, she said, is meant to address the current shortage of valuers across registries in the country.
“As you may be aware, my ministry is now in charge of collecting stamp duty. This employment will therefore go a long way in enhancing our operations and has the potential to increase revenue collection as we also improve service delivery to the citizenry.”
Wahome said her ministry is also working on plans to increase the number of land surveyors in employment.
The CS said she is aware of pending legislative reviews affecting the Survey Act, CAP 299, the Valuers Act, the Estate Agents Act, the regulations of the Building Surveyors Act, and the regulations of the Urban Areas and Cities Act.
In addition, Wahome said her ministry is keen to have a bill that would regulate land administration and management as well as property development.
She lauded the work that surveyors have done, citing the draft Survey and Mapping Bill; the draft Land Surveyors Registration Bill; and the draft Survey and Mapping Policy.
Wahome said her ministry has recently published several land-related regulations that are currently awaiting approval from Parliament.