Cadastral survey in Kenya and its role in the development of the Country

Abstract

The thesis investigates the role of cadastral survey in the orderly development and secure ownership of land. The evolution of land laws in Kenya and the ways in which they have regulated the process of cadastral survey are discussed in the context of the historical development of the country since the closing years of the last century. The unification of the land laws into a single system of registration for'the whole country is considered against the background of the three main classifications of land and the different standards of survey that have supported the cadastral system. The thesis shows how expedients adopted to effect economies and produce quick results in one generation, have led to problems and additional expense for the next. The role of photogrammetry in mapping over half a fuillion smallholdings to register titles in the Trust Lands is discussed, as is the use of enrged airphotographs in place of maps. The progress of the change from communal tenure to individual private ownership ,of landis presented, and the problems still to be resolved are' outlined.