NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has formed a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) committee to fast-track more than 10,500 land and environmental court cases, many of which are stalling critical state projects and exposing the government to prolonged legal risks.
The cases include:
- 1,852 on land fraud
- 1,283 involving double allocations
- 315 on illegal acquisition of public land
- 169 each on private land appropriation and evictions
- 128 on compulsory land acquisition
- 40 linked to historical injustices
- 37 on the right to a clean and healthy environment
Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, who unveiled the committee, said the initiative aims to prioritise and accelerate the resolution of high-risk disputes that threaten infrastructure projects and government development plans.
“The recommendations this team will provide will assist stakeholders across the land sector—both at county and national level—to minimise future disputes and accelerate resolutions,” Oduor said.
The RRI committee will consist of state counsel from the AG’s office and private sector advocates, supported by a secretariat drawn from the Office of the Attorney General.
Key Mandates
The committee’s role includes: categorizing pending cases by risk and urgency, recommending tailored legal interventions, reviewing past judgments to understand legal trends, identifying opportunities for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and collaborating with land sector agencies to verify and issue genuine title deeds in double allocation cases
“In some cases, such as double allocations, the committee will vet and work with land officials to issue a genuine title deed that can stand up in court and clear the way for stalled projects,” the AG noted.
The AG said a legal audit showed the government is either a principal or an interested party in all 10,581 pending cases, underlining the urgent need to unlock these disputes to facilitate public development efforts.
She emphasized the growing importance of ADR mechanisms, including mediation and negotiation, in reducing the strain on courts and delivering justice faster.
“This committee must actively pursue alternatives to litigation, where possible, to resolve matters quicker and unblock government projects,” she said.
Reform Beyond the Courts
Beyond the courtroom, the initiative is expected to contribute to long-term land sector reforms, reduce litigation-related costs, and strengthen dispute prevention frameworks.
The move marks a strategic push by the AG’s office to align legal processes with the state’s development priorities and ensure that court disputes do not paralyze public investment and infrastructure efforts.
