New NLC officials confront legacy of land grabs, historical injustices

Dr. Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy during his swearing in as the National Land Commission Chairperson for a term of six years, alongside six commissioners at Supreme Court buildings on March 23, 2026, looking on is Judiciary Deputy Chief Registrar and Spokesperson Paul Ndemo. [Courtesy: Judiciary]

The newly sworn-in leadership of the National Land Commission (NLC) assumes office under the weight of some of Kenya’s most contentious and unresolved land disputes, many tied to decades of stalled reforms,  unimplemented recommendations and politically sensitive cases involving the illegal allocation of public land, some implicating powerful people.

At their swearing-in on Monday in Nairobi, Chief Justice Martha Koome underscored the magnitude of the task ahead, describing land as a deeply emotive issue that goes beyond economics to touch on identity, history, and dignity.

“The challenges before you are significant,” she said, pointing to historical land injustices, resolving disputes over public land, and strengthening land governance systems as some of the immediate priorities awaiting the commissioners.

The new team, led by Chairperson Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy, includes seven commissioners—Susan Oyatsi, Daniel Murithi Muriungi, Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot, Julie Ouma Oseko, Mohamed Abdi Mohamed and Mary Yiane Seneta—who join serving commissioners Esther Mathenge Murugi and Tiyah Galgalo.

Their appointment marks the third Commission since the institution opened its doors in 2013, and comes at a time when public expectations around land justice are high.

Speaking after taking the oath of office, Dr Alawy acknowledged the weight of that responsibility.

“We are fully aware of the expectations that Kenyans have of the National Land Commission. Land remains one of the most significant and sensitive resources in our country,” he said.

“It touches on livelihoods, development, investment, environmental sustainability and social justice. The responsibility entrusted to us is therefore both profound and sacred,’’ Alawy added.

He pledged that the Commission would execute its mandate with integrity, professionalism, transparency and fairness.

But beyond the ceremony and pledges lies a complex web of unresolved land cases, many of which have been investigated and documented, yet remain unsettled.

Among the most high-profile cases that continue to cast a long shadow is the dispute over Weston Hotel (linked to President William Ruto), built on land that was originally part of public property owned by Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

The National Land Commission had previously ruled that the land had been irregularly acquired and recommended compensation rather than demolition of the hotel.

However, the case sparked national debate and remains emblematic of the complexities involved in reclaiming public land once it has been developed and changed hands.

It is the kind of case that underscores the dilemma facing the new commissioners, whether to prioritize repossession, compensation, or regularization when public land has already been converted into high-value private developments.

Beyond individual cases, the broader pattern of land grabbing has long been documented.

The Ndung’u Report documented widespread and systematic allocation of public land to politically connected individuals.

The report identified land belonging to forests, government institutions, and public utilities that had been irregularly excised and allocated.

“The allocation of public land was no longer guided by public interest but by private interest,’’ read the report.

More than two decades later, many of its recommendations remain unimplemented, leaving the new Commission to grapple with cases that have already been investigated but never resolved.

NLC Chief Executive Kabale Tache Arero expressed confidence in the new team, saying the Commission’s secretariat is ready to support them.

“With your leadership and expertise joining our ranks, the National Land Commission will be significantly strengthened to deliver on its crucial constitutional mandate,” she said.