NAIROBI — Chief Justice Martha Koome has inaugurated the Nairobi Land Justice Working Group, a multi-agency team dedicated to the prompt and lasting resolution of land disputes in Nairobi City County. The initiative, aimed at addressing the systemic challenges within the land justice administration, includes key stakeholders from various sectors related to land justice.

According to Kenya News Agency, the working group is tasked with identifying and tackling the root causes of land disputes and is expected to engage with the public and relevant stakeholders to devise enduring solutions. The team will recommend interventions and formulate guidelines to accelerate land justice, leveraging innovative approaches such as Alternative Justice Systems and Court Annexed Mediation.

The Chief Justice emphasized that this initiative aligns with the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) blueprint, aiming to ensure no case remains in court for more than three years. By examining the causes of delays, streamlining case management, and adopting novel justice delivery mechanisms, the group intends to significantly reduce the backlog of land cases and address the challenges of land justice effectively.

Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu expressed her anticipation for the working group's outcomes, noting their potential to serve as a model for other counties and jurisdictional areas. She called for the incorporation of a performance measurement system to track and enhance the group's effectiveness.

Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works Housing and Urban Development Alice Wahome assured the ministry's support for the working group, emphasizing the importance of achieving land justice to prevent the suffering of vulnerable populations, especially the elderly. Nairobi's land justice issues, including double allocation, encroachment on public land, and fraud, present a complex challenge that necessitates a collaborative approach.

The Nairobi Land Justice Working Group, initiated by the Nairobi ELC Court Users Committee, comprises members from the Environment and Land Court, Nairobi City County, Ministry of Lands, the Attorney General's office, the National Land Commission, and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, showcasing a comprehensive effort to tackle land disputes in the county.