The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya has raised alarm over the latest nominations to the National Land Commission, warning that leaving out key land experts could weaken the Commission’s ability to manage one of the country’s most sensitive sectors. In a statement dated February 18, 2026, the body said the proposed team lacks the technical depth required to guide land governance and safeguard public resources.
ISK President Eric Nyadima said the Commission’s work is highly technical and demands commissioners who understand land surveying, valuation, physical planning, and land administration. He cautioned that the role of a commissioner is not to learn on the job but to offer steady and informed leadership from the start.
“The team as proposed are not subject matter experts and would find it difficult to provide professional and strategic direction,” Nyadima said.
He added that appointments to such a critical body must focus on competence and experience, noting that land matters affect property rights, infrastructure projects, historical land claims, and public trust in state institutions.
The surveyors’ body recalled that the National Land Commission was created to protect public land, raise standards in land management, and promote accountability at both national and county levels. According to ISK, these duties cannot be handled well without strong professional grounding in land-related fields.
The Commission’s mandate includes managing public land, advising the national and county governments on land acquisition, conducting research on natural resources, and guiding land use planning. ISK argued that these roles require more than general knowledge, as they involve detailed technical judgment and careful review of grants, allocations, and adjudication matters.
“How will the team which has been proposed carry out these core functions when all these matters are alien to them?” Nyadima asked, stressing that technical knowledge is foundational, not peripheral, to the execution of the Commission’s mandate.
The body also questioned how the selection panel arrived at its final list. It asked whether qualified land professionals who applied were ranked too low to make the cut and called for openness in the scoring and evaluation process.
ISK said a balanced and multi-skilled Commission is vital to ensure fair decisions and proper oversight. It maintained that professional expertise within the team is not a narrow sector interest but a matter of national importance.
Nyadima reiterated that “ensuring that the Commission benefits from specialized professional expertise is therefore not merely a sectoral concern, it is a national governance imperative.”
The appeal comes a day after President William Ruto nominated a new chairperson and six members to the National Land Commission, following a ruling by the Court of Appeal that cleared the way for the appointments.
In a statement released on February 17, 2026, the Executive Office of the President said the nominations were made in line with the court’s decision in Civil Application No. E662 of 2025, consolidated with Applications No. E663, E680, and E682 of 2025. The ruling allowed the recruitment and nomination of the third group of commissioners to fill vacant slots for the chairperson and six members, pending the final outcome of appeals lodged by other applicants.
The presidency also confirmed that the two serving commissioners, Hon. Esther Murugi Mathenge and Hon. Tiyah Galgalo Ali, will continue serving until their terms end on December 20, 2026.
“The tenure of the two serving Commissioners, Hon. Esther Murugi Mathenge and Hon. Tiyah Galgalo Ali, whose terms expire on 20th December 2026, remains protected and unaffected,” the statement read, ensuring continuity in the Commission’s work.
The nominations followed recommendations from a Selection Panel formed through Kenya Gazette Notice No. 11212 of 2025. Parliament is now expected to review and approve the names before the new team can take office.
The nominees include Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy from Kwale as chairperson. The proposed commissioners are Susan Khakasa Oyatsi from Kakamega, Daniel Murithi Muriungi from Meru, Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot from Kericho, Julie Ouma Oseko from Siaya, Mohamed Abdi Haji Mohamed from Mandera, and Mary Yiane Seneta from Kajiado.
If approved, they will join the two serving commissioners, Esther Murugi Mathenge representing Nyeri and Tiyah Galgalo Ali representing Isiolo, to steer the National Land Commission at a time when scrutiny over land governance remains high.
