Minister calls for extensive use of ICT in Land management

The Minister of Lands and Environment, Stanislas Kamanzi ,wants to use ICT to facilitate land transactions. His ministry intends to introduce Land Administration Information System (LAIS) in all districts. Kamanzi made the remarks during the swearing in ceremony of district land officers at the ministry’s headquarters in Kimihurura, yesterday. “LAIS will help in legal land documents exchange whether buying, donating or inheriting any piece of land,” Kamanzi explained. He said the Ministry also intends to support projects to draw up a proper District land master plan. It is necessary that all District land Officers are trained in Geographic Information System (GIS) and how a land use master plan can be developed. It is estimated that 8 million plots of land are yet to be demarcated. 4 million have already been recorded. Legal documentation of all land plots is scheduled to end in December 2013, according to the minister. The job of the newly sworn in district land officers will be the awarding of building permits, deed plans, and resolving conflicts. They will work as District land notaries who will also advise citizens on legal procedures of acquiring or transferring land before going to National Land Centre for land titles. Ends