In the past, land records were uncoordinated, making it possible for unscrupulous individuals to take advantage and steal land from rightful owners.

All of this is set to change with the digitization of all land records in Kenya. In an attempt to become more efficient and responsive to Kenyans, the Ministry of Lands has been working on a way to digitize all the land records. Finally, that has become a reality.

Land buyers can now perform a land search online from the comfort of their homes. Performing a land search is an important part of doing your due diligence when looking to buy land.

SEE ALSO: TITLE DEED TRANSFER IN KENYA

The results of a search will help establish the rightful owner of the property you seek to purchase and whether or not there are any pending issues related to the ownership of the land in question.

A land search will show the full names of the owner, the approximate size of the land, and any claims on the land. For instance, it may reveal if the land has been used as collateral for a bank loan or as surety in a legal dispute.

HOW TO CONDUCT LAND SERACH IN KENYA

Simply log into the Ardhi sasa platform and create an account.
Navigate to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning and select the Land search option.
Input the title number and complete the online land search form.
Confirm that all the details are correct, then submit the form.
Select your preferred payment option, which can be either M-Pesa, a credit card, or a debit card. Note that cash payment is not allowed.
Once the payment is successful, proceed to print the results.
The same information can be found on your portal anytime you log into your E-citizen account.

Land search fee: A simple search costs Ksh. 500 and can be paid using M-PESA, a credit card, or a debit card.