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.