The Ministry of Lands needs at least Sh617 billion to secure land rights and other reforms.
This is against an estimated allocation of Sh491 billion that left a gap of more than Sh126 billion.
Among the areas the ministry wants to focus on under the new Strategic plan 2023–27 are, the registration of all land parcels in the country, provision of updated and accurate national digital maps, digitisation of all its processes among others.
Under the plan, the ministry says it will issue 330,000 title deeds in the financial year 2023–24.
In the financial year 2024–25, 420,000 new title deeds will be issued.
The ministry also has plans to issue another 420,000 new title deeds in 2025–26, 430,000 in 2026–27 and 480,000 in the financial year 2027–28.
The ministry says it seeks to decentralise five land offices in 2023–24, eight in 2024–25, 11 in 2026, 13 in 2026–27 and 15 in 2027–28.
In the financial year 2023–24, the ministry seeks to upload 150,000 land parcels into the national land cadaster and 250,000 in the financial year 2024–25.
In the financial year 2025–26, the ministry seeks to upload 300,000 land parcels to the national land cadaster and a similar number in 2026–27 and 2027–28.
To reduce conflicts over property disputes, the ministry seeks to geo-reference 20 per cent of land parcels in the financial year 2023–24, 40 per cent in the financial year 2024–25, 60 per cent by 2025–26, 80 per cent by 2026–27 and 100 per cent by 2027–28.
Under the public works docket, the ministry seeks to audit and inspect 1,500 safe buildings and structures in the financial year 2023–24.
In the financial year 2024–25, it will audit 2,500, in the financial year 2025–26 (3,000), and 3,500 in 2027–28.
Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the ministry recognises that sustainable land tenure and the built environment hinge significantly on appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks.
“This plan strives to provide a sense of predictability and instill confidence among its stakeholders, a structure for the ministry’s decision-making process and a basis for budgetary decisions,” she said.
Wahome said security of land rights plays a significant role in poverty reduction, improvement of livelihoods and ecological sustainability as sustainable development.
“The Ministry is committed to fast tracking the registration of title deeds as well as the transfer of titles in land transactions. It also commits to ensuring that those who are landless are settled in line with BETA priorities. This will encourage private sector investment and enhance revenue collection,” she said..
Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said there is rapid urbanisation, with half a million people going to urban areas.
Globally, urbanisation is associated with a high quality of life but that is not the case in Kenya.
Land in Nairobi is the most expensive hence the upsurge of slums.
Hinga said the poor are getting services at exorbitant rates, adding that the affordable housing programme will help solve some of the challenges.
He said there is an urgent need to stop land fragmentation.
At least 5,525 units of affordable housing are under construction.
The PS said 48,988 units have been given out.