A growing call to overhaul Kenya’s inheritance system has landed in Parliament, with petitioners warning that families are being locked out of their own property for years due to slow, costly and complicated succession procedures.
The appeal has been submitted to the National Assembly by former Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu together with 22 other petitioners. It was formally introduced to MPs by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula during a House sitting on Wednesday.
The petitioners are asking Parliament to revise the Law of Succession Act to introduce strict timelines for settling inheritance disputes, simplify probate procedures, and create alternative ways of resolving family disagreements without going through lengthy court battles. They argue that the current process is too complex and unaffordable for many Kenyans.
“The petitioners state that succession procedures under the current legal framework are complex, costly and inaccessible to ordinary citizens,” National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula informed MPs on Wednesday.
They say thousands of estates remain unresolved long after the death of property owners, leaving beneficiaries unable to access what is rightfully theirs. According to them, this has fueled prolonged family tensions and widespread delays in property transfer.
The petitioners further note that many dependents are suffering financial strain because assets meant for them remain stuck in legal processes. In many cases, land and other property remain unused while families struggle to meet basic needs.
They also point out that a large portion of productive assets, especially land, is still registered under the names of deceased persons. This, they argue, prevents families from using such property for loans, farming, development or investment.
The petition highlights that succession cases involve several demanding steps, including court filings, gazettement, valuation, legal representation and land registry processes. They say this chain of procedures creates delays that many families cannot manage.
According to the petitioners, unresolved inheritance disputes have also contributed to rising land conflicts, increased pressure on courts, and inefficiencies in the property system. They argue that lack of clear timelines worsens disputes among families.
While acknowledging that succession matters are governed by law, the petitioners argue that the current legal and administrative framework has failed to provide a system that is affordable, simple and timely for ordinary citizens.
They are now proposing reforms that include simplified procedures for small estates and administrative handling of uncontested cases, so that such matters do not always require court intervention.
The petition also cites practices from other countries, saying reforms elsewhere have made inheritance processes faster and more efficient while still protecting the rights of beneficiaries.
The matter will now be considered by the Public Petitions Committee, which is expected to review the concerns raised and present its findings and recommendations to the National Assembly.