Challenging Institutional Frameworks In Land Administration: Many Institutions, But Less Property Rights (Case Of Burundi)

Land administration as one of the mechanisms of availing property rights to owners cannot be achieved unless there are well-functioning and coordinated institutional frameworks. Institutions are there to provide legal frameworks, technical, human and financial support to help land administration initiatives work effectively. The number of these institutional frameworks may be insignificant on rendering property rights if not well organised and focussed. Instead of being opportunities, they may become challenges to land administration in the country. This paper explored the challenges emanating from the existing institutional frameworks dealing with land administration in providing property right in Burundi. A mixed research design has been applied to capture qualitative and quantitative data. A desk review of different government reports, academic and professional papers as well as books have been consulted. Also, structured and semi-structured interview have been used to collect primary data on property rights in Burundi. A total of 60 respondents have participated in this paper such as officials in land department, local leaders, and individual landowners. A nonprobability, with snowball sampling method has been applied to identify 60 respondents (40 for structure interview and 20 semi-structured interviews). Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics have been used in data analysis. The findings show that Burundi has got many institution frameworks, but are fragmented and dispersed. This engendered the lack focus on specific issues related to land administration. As results, challenges faced by many groups of people are not addressed by these institutions which make these people to have less property rights. Consequently, these people are marginalised; becoming poor and pauper, and suffering from food insecurity. Also, they live in extreme poverty, their children are dropping out from their studies and even some families flee the country. Therefore, the government of Burundi is advised to have one ministry that will deal with land issues with focus and specificity.