It is all hands on deck for the newly sworn-in Commissioners of the National Land Commission (NLC), as the team vows to pull out all the stops to implement sweeping reforms in land management across the country, with the digitisation of land records taking centre stage.
Barely two weeks after being sworn in, NLC Chairperson Dr Abdillahi Alawy led commissioners and top management in a five-day induction programme aimed at orienting the new team and laying the groundwork for much-needed reforms in the land sector.
Dr Alawy noted that the training is critical in acquainting commissioners with NLC directorates and the broader mandate of the commission and in aligning their work with the expectations of Kenyans.
The newly sworn-in commissioners are FCPA Susan Oyatsi, Mr Daniel Muriungi, CHRP Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot, Dr Julie Oseko, Mohamed Abdi, and Mary Yiane Seneta.
The Chairperson affirmed the commission’s commitment to digitising land records to enhance efficiency, boost transparency, and reduce land-related disputes.
“Out of the many issues I have reviewed at NLC, my top priority is digitisation,” said Dr Alawy, adding that the move will foster transparency and rebuild public trust. “That is one of the areas I will be putting significant effort into.”
The newly constituted commission will also review the implementation of its Strategic Plan (2021–2026) as it nears completion and finalise the development of a service charter to address persistent land challenges facing Kenyans.
Dr Alawy further disclosed plans to intensify community engagement to better understand and resolve land ownership issues affecting citizens.
“In addition to the work done by previous commissions, we intend to go further by strengthening grassroots outreach to better understand people’s challenges and provide lasting solutions,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining a cordial working relationship with the Ministry of Lands, noting that past conflicts over mandates had been resolved by the second commission.
“This is the third cohort of the commission, and we are not where the first commission was. The second commission addressed most of the conflicts between the Ministry of Lands and NLC,” said Dr Alawy.
“Previously, there were turf wars that should not have happened. We now understand how to handle such matters. Those were teething problems experienced by the first commission and partly the second,” he added.
To strengthen collaboration, the commission plans to hold joint meetings and planning sessions with the Ministry of Lands to effectively deliver on its mandate.
“That is what is required, and that is what we are committed to delivering as a commission,” he said.
The Chairperson also pledged to conclusively address historical land injustices in collaboration with other government agencies and to clear a backlog of cases, some dating back over 46 years.
NLC CEO Ms Kabale Tache Arero assured that the secretariat will fully support the commission in achieving its mandate.
She noted that Section 14 of the NLC Act grants the commission powers to safeguard public land from encroachment.
“In the past, we lacked adequate legal backing. With Section 14 of the NLC Act now in place, the third commission is better equipped to act. We will soon initiate a review of grants and revoke any illegal allocations on public land,” she said.
By Sadik Hassan
