Thousands of land-related processes are facing delays after the ArdhiSasa platform went offline, with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) warning that the disruption could leave advocates, property buyers, sellers and financial institutions facing costly problems.
The lawyers' body said the digital platform had been unavailable since September 1, 2026, yet users had not received enough information from the authorities on why the system had stopped working or when normal services would return.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, LSK President Charles Kanjama said the Society had received complaints from advocates who were unable to complete ongoing conveyancing and land transactions because of the outage.
The disruption has affected key services carried out through the platform, including searches, transfers, registrations and valuations.
“Searches, transfers, registrations, valuations and other critical processes have been brought to a standstill,” LSK said.
The Society said the situation was affecting not only lawyers but also their clients, financial institutions and other parties who depend on the completion of land transactions.
LSK said the outage was a serious concern because ArdhiSasa is now a major platform through which land administration services are accessed.
The Society said many conveyancing transactions are tied to specific contractual, statutory and commercial deadlines, meaning a prolonged system failure could have wider consequences for people waiting for transactions to be completed.
According to LSK, delays caused by the platform's unavailability could result in penalties, additional expenses, problems with financing arrangements and possible disputes between parties.
The Society said advocates should not be made to carry the blame for delays caused by the breakdown of a government-operated digital service.
It said this was especially important because users had not received timely and clear information from the authorities about the outage.
“Digitisation must enhance accountability, not diminish it,” LSK said.
The lawyers' body said the government must ensure that public services moved to digital systems remain dependable and continue to serve users effectively.
LSK also said there should be openness whenever essential digital platforms experience disruptions so that those relying on the services can make informed decisions.
LSK has asked the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning and those responsible for ArdhiSasa to give an immediate explanation of what caused the disruption and how widely it has affected services.
The Society wants authorities to state clearly when the platform will be restored and to keep users informed until all services are back.
It has also called for temporary measures that can allow urgent transactions to proceed while the digital system remains unavailable.
LSK further wants the government to protect users from penalties, additional charges, loss of priority or other losses that may arise simply because the platform was down.
The Society said users should not be disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control.
It has also called for a clear system of notifying the public whenever ArdhiSasa is scheduled for maintenance or suffers an unexpected outage.
Despite its concerns, LSK said it supports the use of technology in land administration and recognises the role digital systems can play in improving service delivery.
However, the Society said digitisation should not leave citizens, lawyers and other users without answers when a platform fails.
It said digital services should make land transactions more efficient and transparent rather than create uncertainty when users are unable to access them.
“A mandatory digital platform cannot operate as a black box in which services disappear without notice and users are left to speculate,” LSK stated.
The Society has therefore called for urgent communication from the relevant authorities and the immediate restoration of ArdhiSasa services.
LSK said the response to the current disruption should also ensure that people whose transactions have been delayed do not suffer penalties, extra costs or other forms of loss because of the system failure.