A petition presented before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee has renewed calls for sweeping reforms to Kenya’s succession framework, with proposals for a national task force to tackle persistent challenges surrounding inheritance, ancestral land, and estate administration.
John Mruttu, the petitioner on Ancestral Land and Succession Reform, told the committee that succession issues continue to affect millions of Kenyans and require a coordinated response involving multiple institutions and stakeholders.
Addressing lawmakers, he said succession extends beyond legal processes and touches on several aspects of society, making it a matter that demands broad national attention.
“Succession is a complex matter that sits at the intersection of law, land administration, family relations, financial systems, customary practices and social values. Its effects are felt in our homes, our farms, our courts and our financial institutions,” he said.
Mruttu argued that no single institution can adequately address the challenges associated with inheritance and estate management, noting that various sectors have a role to play in finding lasting solutions.
“It is therefore my respectful submission that the time has come for Kenya to initiate a national conversation on succession and inheritance reform,” Mruttu added.
The petitioner proposed the formation of a National Multi-Sectoral Task Force bringing together government agencies, the Judiciary, financial institutions, civil society groups and other key stakeholders to review existing laws and systems governing succession.
According to his submission, the task force would be tasked with examining gaps in the current framework and developing recommendations aimed at creating a fair, practical and constitutionally compliant system.
“The purpose of such a task force would be to undertake a comprehensive review of succession law and related systems, with a view to recommending reforms that are practical, equitable and aligned with constitutional values,” he stated.
Mruttu also emphasized the importance of public participation throughout the process, saying ordinary Kenyans bear the greatest impact when succession matters drag on for years or remain unresolved.
“The voices of ordinary citizens should remain at the centre of this process because they experience the consequences of delayed succession most directly,” he said.
He further told the committee that succession reform should be viewed as a broader national development issue, arguing that effective inheritance systems can support economic growth, social justice, financial inclusion and opportunities for future generations.
“This is not merely an inheritance agenda; it is a nation-building agenda. It is an economic agenda, a social justice agenda, a women’s empowerment agenda, a youth empowerment agenda, a financial inclusion agenda and ultimately a national development agenda,” he told the committee.
Mruttu warned that weaknesses within the current succession system continue to keep productive assets tied up, limiting their economic value and denying many families opportunities to improve their livelihoods.
He called on Parliament to take decisive action and support reforms that would strengthen inheritance systems and make them more effective for future generations.
“By reforming succession, we do not merely transfer land from one generation to another. We transfer hope from one generation to the next,” he said.
The petition is currently being considered by the Public Petitions Committee, which is expected to present its recommendations to Parliament after completing its review.