Economy

Land commission grappling with 10,500 pending cases

nlc

NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The National Land Commission (NLC) is grappling with 10,500 cases filed against it. The cases are pending at various lands and environmental courts around the country.

NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri said when his commission came into force in 2013, it found 9,000 pending land cases and successfully resolved 2,500 ones. “Of the cases that had remained since 1940s, we managed to resolve 2,500 within five years. With promulgation of the new Constitution, Kenyans have become more litigant,” he added.

He was speaking on Monday at Ardhi House during the handing over to new Land secretary Faridah Karoney from her predecessor, Prof Jacob Kaimenyi, who has been appointed Kenya’s representative to the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Prof Swazuri said some of the cases were pending since 1940s and inherited them from the defunct Commissioner of Lands but 4,000 new ones were filed in the last five years to challenge some of the commission’s legislative action.

He said the commission through Alternative Dispute Resolutions as well as Review of Grants and Disposition  has reduced the time for adjudicating land cases.