The National Assembly has approved the appointment of Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy as chairperson of the National Land Commission together with six new commissioners, paving the way for a new leadership team to take over the constitutional body tasked with managing public land on behalf of both national and county governments.
Members of Parliament endorsed the nominees after considering the report of the Departmental Committee on Lands, which conducted approval hearings for the candidates earlier this week. The decision was adopted through a special motion passed in the House on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
The motion confirmed Parliament’s support for President William Ruto’s nominees following the completion of the vetting process.
“Taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Lands in its report on the approval hearing of Nominees for Appointment as Chairperson and Members of the National Land Commission… this House approves the appointment of the following persons to the National Land Commission,” the House stated.
The appointments were made in line with Article 250(2)(b) of the Constitution, Section 12 of the National Land Commission Act, Cap. 281, and Sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap. 7F.
Alongside Alawy, the National Assembly approved Susan Khakasa Oyatsi, Daniel Murithi Muriungi, Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot, Julie Ouma Oseko, Mohamed Abdi Haji Mohamed, and Mary Yiane Seneta as members of the commission.
Alawy, who comes from Kwale County, was nominated by the President after a Court of Appeal decision cleared the way for the recruitment of new commissioners. His nomination followed recommendations made by a selection panel that had been formed through Kenya Gazette Notice No. 11212 of 2025.
The Departmental Committee on Lands began vetting the nominees on March 9, 2026. During the hearings, legislators assessed the candidates’ academic background, professional experience, and questions surrounding their integrity before making recommendations to the House.
The recruitment process came after the Court of Appeal delivered its ruling in Civil Application No. E662 of 2025, which was consolidated with applications E663, E680, and E682 of 2025. The court directed that the President nominate new commissioners and seek approval from Parliament before they could take office.
The National Land Commission is established under Article 67 of the Constitution and plays a central role in land management in Kenya. Its duties include managing public land on behalf of national and county governments, recommending national land policy, advising the government on land registration programmes, conducting research on land and natural resources, and investigating historical or current land injustices with the aim of recommending appropriate remedies.
During debate on the motion in the National Assembly, Wundanyi MP Dan Mwashako stressed the need for those appointed to the commission to uphold integrity given the sensitivity of land issues in the country.
“As we sit here to approve the nominees to the National Land Commission, it should be stated that the people given the mandate to run the NLC must be individuals of very high integrity and must have the interests of the people of Kenya at heart. Even the debate, where there is a possibility that the composition of the nominees does not meet the expected threshold, raises a lot of eyebrows,” he said.
Despite the approval, the nominations had attracted criticism from some professional organisations and community groups during the vetting process.
Professional bodies such as the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya opposed the proposed team, arguing that the list did not include key land experts such as surveyors, valuers, and physical planners. The organisation noted that these professions are recognised under Section 8 of the National Land Commission Act as important qualifications for commissioners.
In addition, members of the Borana, Maasai, and Kony communities filed petitions before the National Assembly questioning Alawy’s suitability to lead the commission. The petitioners accused him of being partisan and raised concerns linked to his previous role as chairman of the board of directors of the Agricultural Development Corporation.
They alleged that during his time at the state corporation there were irregularities involving large parcels of public land that were transferred to the corporation, and called for the claims to be examined and audited during the vetting process.
The Court of Appeal ruling that reopened the recruitment process also confirmed that the two serving commissioners, Esther Murugi Mathenge and Tiyah Galgalo Ali, would remain in office. Their terms are expected to run until December 20, 2026.
