Over 10,500 land disputes to be fast-tracked to unlock stalled State projects

The government has launched a special committee to fast-track more than 10,500 land and environmental court cases that have delayed important state projects and exposed the government to prolonged legal battles.

These cases include issues such as land fraud, double allocations, illegal acquisition of public land, evictions, compulsory acquisition, historical injustices, and the right to a clean environment.

Attorney General Dorcas Oduor announced the creation of the rapid results initiative committee, which brings together private sector advocates and government lawyers.

The team’s main task is to categorise the pending cases by priority and develop solutions to speed up their resolution. The committee will be supported by a secretariat from the Attorney General’s office.

"The recommendations that the committee will make will help stakeholders in the land sector and policymakers in the county and national government in making decisions that will minimise the causes of land disputes and quick resolution when they occur to spur economic development," Oduor said.

The legal audit by the Attorney General’s office revealed that the government is either a principal or interested party in all 10,581 cases still awaiting court decisions.

Besides reviewing current cases, the committee will also study past judgments to identify legal patterns and their impact on state litigation.

"In some cases, such as the double allocation of land, we expect the committee to vet and work with the people in the lands sector to come up with a genuine title deed that can be used in the courts to prove ownership. This will help us resolve such issues so that the government initiates projects," Oduor added.

The committee will also engage various government agencies and other stakeholders to gather information on land and environmental disputes.

It will explore alternative dispute resolution methods, which Oduor says can help settle cases outside of court and speed up justice.

"Alternative dispute resolution methods will play a key role in resolving some of the problems that we are having in court. It is upon this committee to review and engage the stakeholders to ensure that some of the cases are resolved outside court to fasten the process of getting justice," she said.

This initiative aims not only to unblock stalled projects but also to prevent future legal risks by supporting land sector reforms and improving dispute resolution systems.

It is part of the Attorney General’s efforts to align legal processes with the government’s development goals and reduce delays caused by litigation.