This archive report was first published on 15 June 2021.
Land Sector Corruption Persists Amid Reforms ¶
Kenya's land sector continues to grapple with corruption, despite ongoing reforms aimed at improving governance and transparency.
According to a recent report by the Land Development and Governance Institute (LDGI), land-related corruption has increased, with 51% of respondents rating corruption as high in land transactions.
LDGI Executive Director Mwenda Makathimo noted that enormous service-level bribery is prevalent in government bodies overseeing the land sector, a major concern to the public.
"51% of the respondents still found that corruption is rife in land transactions and rated it as high, 49% of the respondents rated corruption as low," the LDGI report shows.
The report further established that majority of the members of the public still view the Land Control Boards with a lot of suspicion, citing high corruption, nepotism, and favoritism as major concerns.
Yet, the incidences of corruption do not end here. The reports show that 36% of Kenyans are of the view that corruption is rife in the courts, and that a lot needs to be done to eliminate it.
LDGI Chair Ibrahim Mwathane expressed optimism that the ongoing digitization of land registries will streamline management practices and significantly diminish graft in the area of land.
"The Institute supports and lauds government efforts in developing an online Land Information Management System to enhance efficiency and reduce costs of transacting on land," Mwathane said.
However, LDGI asserts that tackling corruption in the administration and processes of land management remains critical.
