The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has raised concerns over the recent nomination of commissioners to the National Land Commission (NLC), warning that the apparent exclusion of core land professionals could weaken the technical capacity of the constitutional body.
Speaking a day after the nominations were announced through Presidential Action No. V of 2026, ISK President Eric Nyadimo questioned the absence of experts drawn from key land-related disciplines, despite the law expressly recognizing such expertise as central to the Commission’s mandate.
President William Ruto nominated Dr. Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy as Chairperson alongside six members — Susan Khakasa Oyatsi, Daniel Murithi Muriungi, Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot, Dr. Julie Ouma Oseko, Mohamed Abdi Haji Mohamed and Mary Yiane Seneta. The names have since been forwarded to the National Assembly for vetting and approval.
Nyadimo said while the Institution respects the constitutional mandate of appointing authorities under Articles 67 and 250 of the Constitution, the National Land Commission Act clearly outlines the qualifications required.
“We respect the constitutional mandate of the appointing authorities under Articles 67 and 250 of the Constitution. However, we are deeply concerned about the apparent exclusion of core land professionals, yet the National Land Commission Act clearly provides for expertise in land law, land survey, spatial planning and land economics,” he said.
He cited Section 8 of the National Land Commission Act (Cap. 281), which requires appointees to hold a recognized degree and at least 15 years’ experience for Chairperson and 10 years for Members in specified fields, including land law, land survey, spatial planning or land economics.
“The law expressly anticipates representation from professionals in these disciplines,” he said.
The National Land Commission was established under Article 67 of the Constitution to manage public land on behalf of national and county governments, investigate historical land injustices, advise on land registration and oversee land use planning and land information systems. Its formation followed reform recommendations from the Njonjo Commission and the Ndungu Commission, which exposed systemic weaknesses in Kenya’s land governance framework.
Nyadimo argued that the Commission’s functions under Section 5 of the Act are inherently technical and spatial in nature, requiring deep expertise in land surveying, valuation, physical planning, environmental management and land administration.
“These are not peripheral responsibilities. They are foundational to the execution of the Commission’s mandate. This appointment should not be a learning experience,” he said.
He also questioned the selection process.
“We wonder whether there was a scoring system by the Selection Panel. Does it mean that the landed professionals who applied for these positions scored so low as to warrant their exclusion?” he posed.
ISK Chief Executive Officer Peter Kibet noted that historically the Commission has included representation from the Institution, warning that appointments must align with national development ambitions.
“Never has the Commission been constituted without a member of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya. If Kenya wants to attain first world status, it must start by making appointments according to qualifications. That is how Singapore was built, and we cannot achieve it if we do otherwise,” he said.
The Institution warned that the absence of core land expertise raises concerns about technical capacity, institutional balance and effective discharge of statutory functions, including review of grants and dispositions of public land.
“Land governance in Kenya remains one of the most sensitive and technically complex areas of public administration. Decisions taken by the National Land Commission have far-reaching consequences for property rights, public infrastructure development, historical land justice and public trust in land institutions,” Nyadimo said.
Drawing parallels with other constitutional commissions, he maintained that the NLC was envisioned as a land-expert-driven body and urged reconsideration of the appointments to reflect both the letter and spirit of Section 8 of the Act.
“Land governance must be guided by law, technical competence and public interest,” he said.
