GOVT RESPONDS TO INDUSTRY CONCERNS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CADASTRAL TENURE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR ZAMBIA
Highlights from the joint press briefing held the Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary Dr. Hapenga Kabeta, Information and Media Permanent Secretary Mr. Thabo Kawana and the Smart-Zambia National Coordinator Mr. Percy Chinyama.
✅ The Data Protection Act No.3 of 2021 guides that all critical systems and infrastructure should be hosted in country unlike the current system which contravenes this provision.
✅ The newly developed system is easy to use, has additional features like online payment module and interfaces with other critical systems (ZRA and PACRA) on the GSB Portal which will promote data exchange in the eco system.
✅ The newly developed system has fully automated processes using the GSB platform as guided by the Electronic Government Division that Government services should be accessed on one platform (GSB) thus eliminating the risks associated with human intervention.
✅ Furthermore, it will be cost effective to operate the newly built system as there will be no annual software maintenance fee charges which has proven to be expensive on the Government side.
✅ Government through the Ministry of Mines and Minerals wishes to inform the nation that it is not aware of the technical problems that have plagued the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) and that have delayed the issuance of land title deeds.
✅ Government has consulted with users starting with elicitation of requirements during the requirements gathering stage, conducted user acceptance tests (UATs) and is about to conduct its final user acceptance test.
✅ The new system is currently undergoing tests.
✅ The newly system reflects the provisions of the governing law which is the Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015 and its subsidiary legislation. For example, the system has geographical grids of six seconds, artisanal license area requirement of predefined 2 cadastre units which 6.68h as per Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2015.
✅ The newly developed system will have grids which form cadaster units and have been incorporated into the newly developed system.
✅ No tenements will be affected as the newly developed system has been developed by adhering to the provisions of the governing law which is the Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015 and its subsidiary legislation.
✅ The system will not infringe or revoke tenements in any way but will be used by the Ministry and mining right holders to manage their tenements with easy to use digital dashboard and real time view of performance.
✅ Most contracts have an expiry date and the current system contract which was running for three (3) years came to an end in 2023, however the Ministry extended the contract.
✅ Government through the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development will communicate to the general public about this transitioning once development is completed and ready for rolling out.
©️ Ministry of Information and Media – Zambia
