THE ROLE OF LEGISLATION ON URBAN LAND REGISTRATION ENFORCEMENT IN ETHIOPIA: THE CASE OF AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) has undertaken urban land registration through the financial loan grant, primarily from the World Bank, since the early 2000s. However, the coverage of land registration practice remains low. This paper begins the journey of exploring the mechanisms by which legislative and other institutional processes could play a better role in the success of land registration systems. Such a study inquiring into the causal relationship between legislation and land registration enforcement is unprecedented in Ethiopia. The paper utilizes project documents and mainstream secondary literature to construct a conceptual framework. It applies qualitative research methods of data analysis with a case study approach. Descriptive, exploratory, and analytical research analysis were employed. The research explores processes, activities, and events in the form of narration. The paper concludes that gaps in the legislation development on land registration and land management have negatively contributed to the low
performance of urban land registration in Ethiopia. The paper suggests that taking a few steps to fill the gaps in the current legislative framework could enhance the contribution of legislative development for improved land management in urban centers of Amhara region, with implications for the whole country.