A System for Inclusivity - National Land Information System (NLIS)
At the helm of 48 hours was the discourse of the long-anticipated treasure for Uganda’s Land Sector known as the National Land Information system. This was deliberated through a well-defined environment dubbed; “DeSINLISI International Conference "distinctively encapsulating the global modernization of land administration. It was only space for the government to reaffirm and condescend the renowned slogan of ‘steady progress’ but this time for the Land Sector.
DeSINLISI which translates into the Design, Supply, Installation, and Implementation of the National Land Information System Infrastructure, summed the second phase of the computerization of the Land Registry. This was a project run by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development since February 2015 in conjunction with the IGN FI with support from the World Bank. So, the 20th-21st of February at Protea Hotel was an ambiance to discern the achievements critically addressing the land question for the country, share experiences on land administration reforms and implementation of LIS initiatives in other countries. The consultation team declared a tern of processes including full decentralization of the 22 self-contained Ministry Zonal Offices, integration of physical planning, surveying, valuation, land administration & management, and transformation of all given land records into digital formats.
Truly international! The conference lifted delegates, special envoy and learners from the various African countries to share and learn about the success of LIS implementation in Uganda. His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda graced the occasion echoing his allegiance to fully involve and support the development of equitable answers to this big land question in the country. A remarkable experience I must submit! Being in a room with an intuitive audience where exchanges and relays about sustainable and agile tools to create economic stability through breaking the cycle of missing information and land administration were simply understood. Being part of the delegation, a recount on the statistics for the conference was out of our reach however, at a glance, it was a strategized event intersecting both the public and private powerful officials.
Day 1 was compounded with top-notch submissions about economic transformation through the empowerment of simplified legal systems and land Surveying. Imagine a recount of the historical events like ‘King William the Conqueror’ and the mighty ‘French Napoleon Bonaparte’ on land surveying and property registration, that set ablaze the development of Europe and America we see today. It was a moment for Africa to reflect on the lost 50 or so years behind exponential economic growth. It was a perfect moment that such questions like; How to use Land Titles as means of democratizing economic empowerment, weighed through the audience. As Uganda, it is important for the young generation to relentlessly think of how we will move raw productivity within land rights, labor, and technology through progressively and successively.
Day 2 was the long-awaited for the discussion of the land regime outside the bell jar today. This was the discussion on customary tenure for all of Africa and its coexistence with the legalities and dynamic technology application as of the 21st century. In a room of the caliber, the imagination of Hernandez De Soto picturing an undercapitalized sector that is strikingly different from the conventional wisdom of the developing world was inevitable. On the schedule was the experience sharing of customary land arrangements but most important the convergence of policy, requirements and technology solutions for land customarily managed. As of today, we can only focus on a seamless integrated land management information system inclusive of any kind of tenure.
In the forward series, we hope to divulge more and link you to the operational and legal incitements required to focus the customary arrangements on a global system on a win-win platter.
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