Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has firmly dismissed claims that the public seal used to authenticate government documents—has been moved from her office. Addressing recent media reports alleging the seal had been transferred to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Oduor clarified that her office remains the lawful custodian of the critical national symbol under Section 28 of the Office of the Attorney General Act, Cap 6A.
Speaking during the launch of the Critical Litigation Lands Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) Committee, Oduor emphasized the importance of fast-tracking the resolution of land and environment-related disputes, which have significantly slowed development and governance processes in the country.
Currently, over 10,581 land and environment-related cases involving the government are pending in Kenyan courts. These include 1,852 land fraud cases, 315 illegal acquisitions of public land, 283 double allocations, and numerous cases on evictions, compulsory acquisitions, environmental rights, and historical land injustices. The vast majority—10,501—are before the Environment and Land Court, with additional cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
The newly commissioned committee aims to reduce this backlog within a 100-day timeframe using a results-driven, multi-agency approach. It is mandated to categorize pending cases, prioritize high-impact ones, recommend litigation strategies, and propose policy reforms. The committee will also promote Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), particularly for boundary disputes and delayed compensation in compulsory land acquisitions.
Comprising legal professionals from both the private sector—vetted members of the Law Society of Kenya—and public sector regional legal heads from the Office of the Attorney General, the committee represents a collaborative model to drive change. Notable public members include legal officers from Mombasa, Meru, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, and headquarters.
The Law Society of Kenya welcomed the initiative, reiterating its support for expediting land dispute resolutions and calling for ethical conduct and public accountability throughout the process.
Attorney General Oduor concluded by expressing confidence in the committee’s capacity to deliver timely results, noting that resolving these disputes will help unlock stalled development, strengthen investor confidence, and restore public trust in legal institutions.