The National Land Commission (NLC) has dismissed recent allegations in a local newspaper suggesting irregular land deals, insisting that all transactions, including those involving Grassy Ltd, were conducted legally and transparently.
In a statement released on Monday, the Commission clarified that the Grassy Ltd land parcel was acquired following proper procedures, with the company holding a valid 99-year lease starting in 1998, making it eligible for lawful compensation.
The Commission expressed concern that the article misrepresented facts, focused on a single case, and implied the existence of billions of shillings in questionable claims without proper context. “While the headline suggests the existence of ‘…billions of shillings in questionable land claims,’ the article itself appears to rely on a single case, which in our view has been misrepresented and presented without the full factual and legal context. We cannot see the billions, even in the misrepresented case,” the statement read.
The NLC emphasized that all acquisition processes were transparent and aligned with legal requirements. As part of the compulsory acquisition procedure, the Commission issued a gazette notice declaring the government’s intention to acquire the land and invited objections from any interested parties. No objections were received.
The statement also highlighted that correspondence between the NLC’s CEO and the Ministry of Lands was part of standard due diligence and publicly available information, which could have clarified the process had the reporter sought the Commission’s input before publishing.
Addressing concerns about compensation resolutions made during the previous Commissioners’ tenure, the NLC clarified that the Commissioners were legally in office until November 14, 2025, and fully empowered to carry out their duties. “Any suggestion that Commissioners were not expected to discharge their responsibilities on their final day in office is legally unfounded,” the statement said.
The Commission further corrected a factual error in the article, confirming that Kabale Tache Arero is the current Chief Executive Officer, not a former CEO as reported.
Highlighting the importance of responsible journalism, the NLC reiterated that it was not given a chance to present its side before the article was published. “We encourage media practitioners to uphold the foundational principles of journalism accuracy, verification, and fairness, including giving all parties an opportunity to be heard before publication,” the statement read.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, the Commission said it remains open to engaging with the media and other stakeholders to provide accurate information.
Established under Article 67 of the Constitution, the NLC is tasked with managing public land, investigating historical land injustices, and advising government bodies on land policy.
