Rural Land Administration Proclamation of the Federal Government of Ethiopia (No. 89/1997)

'°Yut.A 'l;Jt:,C ;JftflJ FEDERAL NEGARIT GAZETA OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA Y'fl-tljl ~au:,- -1:TC 91! h-'tfl hlJI] - (\); '!}<I"> :rntifi! (lh -l•f"A".r &..f..6•'1'1! Jl.'J 0 tJt,(\.,l''f! ,:1•111\.ti I' ih1lfl -tlDlif-:Y. 9°tJC n,.-,. mll<tH l'ID"I 3'" Year No. 54 ADDIS ABABA - 7th July 1997 OJ/ <»·61,l M'~ <llTC ·rr·tt/H!t1f!! ~-9"· f&.,J.'.,1,./;\ {ID'} 0 IP'-l· f'lmC OD/a.-,. hil+.llY.C h'l':e, .......................................................... 'l?i it?i';l: h 'l'"f: <ll'l'C iri! /IiHiri! fh,Tf•A'.I' &.,f.,t,'l'I! au'}"Jl"T f'lmC {IDt.,:,. M•Mf.C M't fh/rf-A'.I' flth.C':f : 1lrh.l(\fl:f<; ih1lll:f IJY..l1•-l· au,:.,:. ·r"l&\ faut.,:,. IJl\ll,TH ou11:,. fau1"1P'-l•t; l'ih1lfl 11:F oulf'I- nh..-,.f-A".r t..f..t-'1'1! .ct'l°tit-1'1..l''I! &Tflt\.ti t'h1aunr:,. (laul;,1,n-1 OU/oT', f·t-.,.TC' U1H·1 l\"'lll-t.llf.C l\tl/;\/1":Y. f-t(\mar P'&\"11 llP't• 'If, f"'l..llrl\lD• f&..f..Mt• au'} 0 /P'T ll"'l...l'ID"IID• ih"l auwl-l· outr',-'} f,l,1au'} 0 JP'•I: h1+Yi ~!! (g) (au) lll\"'1..f.'t ")Oil l'.f:1 ;.i'l.ar -t"IIJt,'l!H hm:J''lf, f-H-l· .l'l\W- tr'i nu-1\-9° tJ&\/l•'f ti'}~ -tt.~"'l.'tT f"'l..'illD· f'llllC 001.,:,. M-t.llf.C ih"l "'lar"l-l·1 lll\ "'1..mf,.:1,1 nh . .-,.f-A•.r &..f..t-'1'1! .ct'l°tit-1'1..1''1! &Tflt\.ti ;,.1ounr:,. }\'}<f'f, j?;(li) OUIPl'r 1'"'1..tl'f•(\(l)• ;f'llr~/;\11 li· h•l"C Coil ,l',IJ M'~ "f&..f..t.&\ au'}"ll"'-r f'lmC out.,-l- hll-t-'lf.C h'I'~ <ll'l'C ·iti!/IiHifi!" 1·111\• t\.m+ll ,1',°f'I&\ •• I· TC:\"'l. f?f'I- Ml\11 M -rC-1-9° f"'l .. 1'1\mar li&\tr't IU\i'<l'C1 OlllJ h'I'~ ID•llTl f'J,IJ. .,,., Unit Price 1' 60 CONTENTS Proclamation No. 89/1997 Federal Rural Land Administration Proclamation ............................................ Page 628 PROCLAMATION NO. 89/1997 RURAL LAND ADMINISTRATION PROCLAMATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA WHEREAS, as a result of the bitter struggle waged by the Nations, Nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia, it is confirmed in the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia that the right to ownership of land is exculsively vested in the State and in the People; WHEREAS, Article 52(2)(d) of the Constitution provides that Regional Governments are empowered to administer land and other natural resources in accordance with Federal laws; WHEREAS, the implementation of said provision calls for the promulgation of a rural land administration law that is of a general scope and consequent identical ap plication to all Regions; NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 55 (I) of the Constitution, it is hereby proclaimed as follows. 1. Short Title PARTONE General This Proclamation may be cited as the "Federal Rural Land Administration Proclamation NO. 89/1997." 2. Definitions Unless the context otherwise requires, in this Proclamation: t?-1:J- ?II.fl/ :r·"f·</1• ttif.li Negarit G.P.O.Box 80,001 ?i· "tlAA" "'l/\:1- 11,'h')(ID'}"l/"•I: l,'}</•lt 3/!,(ji) f·f•(ID{\ h·I· a,.:1-H.-.I' t. .. J! .. t,.f\'I! ,'l.'f"t1M1.,l''P. tT-tlll.h }',IJ/,\ I'll'~ t1AA ,tin: l'l.-'l.{l t,n11 ·,-,c,- fJ:'.·t..-'l'I' (ID{l,f•P,f.•(': 0 ·Y·'}'J" ,l',i,Ll,9" t,.(,\: \{· "l''llllt: ""1.,:1-" ,,,,11:,. "'tll:J~ n.•l· h·l·!l.'!l.'(/Dn•l· mf.9" l'tlA/1· ?0 t1c tVI· h"/ll•fl t111c11• l.'1A ;.,c: 11(/D(/Dtihc: h·I·'"/ •fl/1° h"'l.t'l,l',(/D(I)• t,IJIHI. "1•6 /l' ,I'/\ (ID/.,•)· ~al•: ( "l'J',fl;I· ""·fl;I·" "'//\;I. "71li'm•9" l,C:f't hf.C: 1'111lt: ""l.,:1, /1"/•llC',' •l·"IIIC /\"'/'PA: /1"'/h/.,l';'f•'," f,Jl;J•m· l\'H 1111n:,. 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WI!"'!.~."/· tl'flt'.' l'"'l.'rc "'11li'"'·I'" t'lro• ~Ill•: 7;, "1'm•1..:1, l,{l•l•,'l.l'.C:" "'l/\:1· fj!,fl;J· (ID,fJ•l· t,1111)(1'}'," \',\',fl;I• •~•f~"I l,/..7,l\9" ~(II•:: !:· fJ';l• Mf\/\l\' hi LU t,•r:i>:, (l)•{J't• 11111'} ,I'; l'o;I· M·f. ~'l'/(1)• fa.•l·'}'J° l\;J· ,l't1-l•;J·A:: h<1:A o•/\·l· frJDt.,:I. l,{l•l•.V,,1'.C'} l'"'/,<JD/111'1: l,nl:l'I\J!, f;'};.>1.1"1' li· """'l.·I· 'lti·fl ""/.,•l· f"'/J:',7i·r l'"'IJ!./\(ll•r f>,.-H·A·.I' •fld1.C'1·, -fldl.t.f'1111•'," ,'h·111i'-1• f:11,. 'Hll.·l· ~(I)•:: ?;· \'(ID/.,•)· >,M•.V,,l'.C: {\t\"'/pDt,.fW• l}•},;J• ?i· "'l'}li'm·9" llAA f•1111C: (IDt.,•l· f"'l.,l'llT>lf.'t.ro• fltllJ >,'I':£>.: m·{l•r 11·1·""/\11·1,:,. >.m:PI\J!. f:1.nl"':f· (ID,,, 1.-°f· J!,tl'',A:: ~: t\11.ll t,'M•ll' '} O•{I l,'M•ll" (ti) .\':'} ;.>1, hLl\l\'J" h,l"}Pr '}.v,. l't1AA ?"tu: n.:,. \'<JDt..:,. }',{l•Mf.C ;,,0 1 ,l'm"JA11 !:· fhAA f""l.,:1, l,M·>l.l!.C: m"I fl.'11ln. '1'll:J''} }',{l(ID(,\ t1·Y· IJ(l)111, ,l,'l00•1"· ,l';'};J'/,1"1· .'.JC: f·l·"l"l(/D h'," f&..J!.. t,.(.\ (/D'}"/1";/. f""/.,:,. h/ll,P</'9° J'll.t't.1 ,l''l',"1111 o0 1n >,t\fH•:: li· fhAA 1'""1.,:1· >,{l•MU: m0 I (IDt.,•l•'} IJ(IDm</''J°i fl"'/{l•f·.V,.1'.C'i fl"".Y."l1ni: ,,1.t;.0-'J" ff,fl;J- (ID,tl-l-1 fl'''l{l•/-1\Mi:',' fl"'/m•l.{I 1.·11.· f/1..Y.1•'} fhh·AH· (/D,{l;I. f'"/J'l.;J"l'I' <IDI/''} }',{\fl;'f•,: 'k l'(/Dt..:1- >,{l•M.l'.C: ,1,"I J!.11·1 l'fhA/\· l'"hC: fl/I· f"'/ • .l'"'"lm· f(IDl.,;'f• l.ll•Mf.C: m"ll ?i· h/';l· >,.l':A9' l'l\.V, l'J!.r•:J· (ID,tH /\>'tC:f't hf.?,'," /\Ill\ <,",}"· 0 ~•1 "'/M"f ·)·'} 1'"'1.,1' l:>"l'I' '1 '}-'l,o-'J° flhA/1• l'"tu: 11.:,. m·ti>. a0 v•t.-l· llhA/1• }',m:J>l\f. mf,'J° nht.,A fl"'l .. l'.1."1 f""t..•1· 'li"fli"I '1°111,1'-l- tiA1n fl{l•l·<l•C: ll/1,I\ ll"'/'}li'm•9" 9°h1,l'-'l· hf.11;1- (ID,fl•1· >,11,,,,~,J•f.\•," >,fl,,,,t..','•l•A'} f"'/.,l'llh-tlCi Federal Negarit Gazeta - No. 54 7'" July 1997-Page 629 "Region" means a Region specified, under Ar ticle 47 of the Constitution, as a member of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and includes the Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa Ad ministrations; 2) "rural land" means all land outside the boun daries of a municipality or outside an area which the respective Regional Council, in consultation with the appropriate body, designates as a town; 3) ''holding right'' means the right any peasant shall have to use rural land for agricultural purposes as well as to lease and, while the right remains in effect, bequeath it to his family member; and includes the right to acquire property thereon, by his labour or capital, and to sell, exchange and bequeath same; 4) "distribution of holdings" means· a rural land allocation measure taken at intervals, upon de cision of the community, with a view to assigning holding rights in a fair and proportionate manner as well as to demarcating land for communal use by peasants; 5) ''family member'' means anyone permanently living with a person having holding rights, by way of sharing the means of livelihood of the latter; 6) "land administration" means the assignment of holding rights and the execution of distribution of holdings. 3. General Reference The provisions of this Proclamation set out in the masculine gender shall also apply to the feminine gender. 4. Principle PART TWO General Provisions on Land Administration Land is a common property of the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia shall not be subject to sale or to other means of exchange. 5. Conditions of Land Administration t) Any Region shall administer rural land in accor dance with the general provisions of this Proclamation. 2) For purposes of implementation of the provisions of sub-Article (1) of this Article, each Regional Council shall enact a law on land administration. 3) The land administration law of a Region shall be in conformity with the provisions of laws on environ mental protection and shall observe the Federal land utilization policies. 4) The land administration law of a Region shall confirm the equal rights of women in respect of the' use, administration and control of land as well as in respect of transferring and bequeathing holding rights. 6 Contents of a Land Administration Law A land administration law enacted by each Regional Council, shall: I) ensure free assignment of holding rights both to peasants and nomads, without differentiation of the sexes; as well as secure against eviction and displacement from holdings on any grounds other than total or partial distribution of holdings effec ted pursuant to decision by the Regional Council, Federal Negarit Gazeta-No. 54 7'' July, 1997-Page 630 !{· }.'},f.l'hAI\• ·l•IJ,l.lJ•f." 11-);.;J• l\t.C{I Ml.f':'f'," I\IW:'1· 11°1-IIC'i /"'I,. 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"Mll·l· wJ!,9° 011:, 1'0'/'M:,- Wf,'J" I\ILV- fl1<'1 !1<i:,1' mf.,'1° Mtl f(IDmf:,,1 ov11')- l'"'l .. 1'{111\-ll'l-: :,:- l'J!,11:J· "''11·1· 1'0 '1.0-rll·l·'K" ff.fl:J- 1i"l1i"l 1'0 'l.h',"w1n ·M "/All·<; <i:•rth'P. l'lf~ h'}-'l,U•'J" >,Cl'I hf.Ir 1 (l,f-f\ M" O,•f:f-1 f"'l.,1'<'1·1-'i: fh.!.llll9" l"C'H f"'l.lll.,'.Jl Hi· IHW;l· uP1H }..',' nr.11:J• 1i0 ffi"I '1·-'lf. f\"7.'dr :,,10:l 9•:r, fh&.;J--)• l"C'¼·l· 1'"7.fll~• If hll.U h'I'~ ;JC f"'l.l',:J•c,- /1,/1•'.'f- hm:111\,{', WJ!,9° h'H'.l'h\\l]{l(D• -hbl.l)•V, u->;;J· M&.l\'L (f)(l)• f"'lf'i, f-1•{\ ~ 'l•-'ll'·'f'} f"'I.Y, ~"/0 / J!,111· fl\m- ovtn hl\ll•l•:1 hA<;:y,(),)• A~ Ai !:'} .'J'l.9'1• lll\'lmC (IP/..•}· J!.fl:r h<;:.1'9'°1· ?i· !l,'h'IOU'}"lf''•l: hHlt '.i'h 10·ll hHfi' (!l) }.'," (I) 11-f•f.~nm• ov1Pl-}·: fov1.,:,• oi>m</'"7.J' 17<;:.I' '1,.'," hf,'} l'"'l.'l"i \'C:fl\.·I: )J<j:J' ""111'} llhAA cm(l-f•-'l!: c.'1• f"'/.W(I')'," f"'l.(IH(\•(l f,lf',"Ai: !l· fht\A 9°hC l\,•Y·1· l\tlU hHfi' 10-(\ hHfi" (li) ovu•l·l- fh<j:J' uP111'} (l,w{I). .,-uP"l"l"iH:'1 °'lt.;n'I' hfl•VfCD-11 2) assign holding rights sufficient for subsistence, both to peasants and nomads, subject to the particular conditions of the locality; 3) allow women to use hired labour on their holdings or to, otherwise, make agreements thereto; 4) permit the right referred to under sub-Article (3) of this Article, to orphans not having attained majority, the physically weak and to similar others; 5) fix criteria, such as family responsibility and formation of a new marriage, for qualification to a holding right; as well as set out standards, in a descending order of priority based on family-size and such other objective factors of assessment of land demand, for determination of the extent to which holding rights would be assigned; 6) provide that demarcation of land for house-buil ding, grazing, forests, social services and such other communal use shall be carried out in accor dance with the particular conditions of the locality and through communal participation; 7) with respect to former holders of lawful standing and where distribution of holdings is erfected, allow for an opportunity to retain, to the extent the distribution would permit, portions of the land they have been improving upon their labour or capital; 8) where a holding right changes hands under dis tribution of holdings, ensure payment of due compensation, by the new holder, to a previous and lawful holder for improvements he had made on the land by his labour or capital; 9) where a holding right changes hands under dis tribution of holdings or terminate on various grounds, guarantee the right to remove permanent work builts, or tree-crops cultivated, on the land or to claim payment of compensation thereon or collection of the fruits thereof; 10) lay down a system based upon transparency, fairness as well as the participation of peasants, especially of women, for purposes of assigning holding rights and carrying out distribution of holdings; 11) provide for a grievance procedure on matters pertaining to holding rights and distribution of holdings; 12) make provisions, not inconsistent with this Proclamation, for other general or particular mat ters as found necessary under the peculiar circums tances of the locality; PART THREE Miscellaneous Provisions 7: Payments on Rural Land Holdings \) Persuant to the provisions of sub-Articles (2) and ( I 0) of Article 97 of the constitution, Regional Governments shall determine the rate of, and collect, land-use-fees and royalties on the use of forest resources. 2) In fixing rates under sub-Article (I) of this Article, Regional Councils shall ensure the proportionality thereof. ;~- Mht\t\ for>/..-l• M·l·-'lf.c; .lt->".f· ·1-4'.1."'1.H f(ID/.,,)• h{l-1•,'lf.C"} 11•1•(/Dt\h•I• (1"7"}:;'1D•9° fht\t\ 9"hC II,•)· \'ID"I ,lt"I hrLU M':~~ .'Jf: \'"'IJ!.!l'l1 Mthtn ~lll ·l·,'.1."'1.H• f,'il'l't\o: ii· htl,f1°'·1· ,ltf·f· ;JC: Mt\11>• "IT~·-~·l hrLU h'P;f.• ;JC f"'l.:Pl~· "'/',"'l:1D•19° ~'IC .lt11· IIILU M'~ f·l·7i.t.•,. 'l·>lf·:t~11H·"''t\h•I· •1·4'.1."'1.H· hf..'it,,:,:ro.9°11 :(· h'I'~: f"'l.~c,•n:,• 1.IL J!.V h'l';e: IIM; •!) •/>1 :Oif.•ii'!i '¼-9° 1.9°C: fM" J!.W<;t\:: fh.-H·A·.r ,U.',.t..f\'P. .ll.'l"ht.-1\.,t''P. /.T•llll..h T/..IL-'11:,· Federal Negarit Gazeta-No. 54 7th July, 1997-Page 631 8. Applicability of Land Administration Laws o f Regions A land administration law heretofore enacted by any Regional Council shall be applicable insofar as it is not inconsistent with this Proclamation. 9. Relation with Other Laws Any previous laws inconsistent with this Proclamation shall not be applicable with respect to matters provided for in this Proclamation. I 0. Effective Date This Proclamation shall enter into force as of the 7th day of July, 1997. Done at Addis Ababa, this 7th day of July, 1997. NEGASO GIDADA (DR.) PRESIDENT OF TIIE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA IIC:V')<; M9" "'1•1-"'I .. ~ Y:C:~•l· :l·•t-oo BERHANENA. SELAM PRINTING ENTERPRIS