President Ruto Announces Seven New Govt Appointments

President William Ruto has announced the nomination of seven new members, including a chairperson, to the National Land Commission (NLC). The appointments follow a ruling by the Court of Appeal that authorized the recruitment and nomination of the third cohort of commissioners.

The nominees are:

Chairperson: Dr. Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy (Kwale)

Members: Ms. Susan Khakasa Oyatsi (Kakamega), Mr. Daniel Murithi Muriungi (Meru), Mr. Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot (Kericho), Hon. Dr. Julie Ouma Oseko (Siaya), Hon. Mohamed Abdi Haji Mohamed (Mandera), Hon. Mary Yiane Seneta (Kajiado).

The statement said two current commissioners, Hon. Esther Murugi Mathenge, EGH, and Hon. Tiyah Galgalo Ali, MBS, will continue to serve until their terms expire on Dec. 20, 2026.

What Next now?

The nominations have been forwarded to the National Assembly for parliamentary consideration and approval, after which the new commission will be fully constituted.

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“In its determination, the court of appeal authorised the recruitment and nomination of the third cohort of commissioners to nlc, strictly for the purpose of filling the vacant positions of the chairperson and six commissioners, pending the hearing and final determination of the appeals filed by the applicants,” part of the statement read.

The appointments come as the government seeks to strengthen the National Land Commission’s capacity to manage land-related matters in line with the constitutional mandate, including adjudicating disputes and overseeing public land management.

Felix K. Koskei, EGH, Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, confirmed the nominations in a statement issued Tuesday, February 17.

Blocking of the recruitment

In November 2025, the High Court gave an order blocking the recruitment of new commissioners for the commission, ruling that the Presidential decision was unconstitutional and threatened the rights of current officeholders.

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Commissioners Esther Murugi Mathenge and Tiyah Galgalo had filed a case at the High Court challenging the Gazette Notice that was issued by the Head of State.

The Court of Appeal previosly had temporarily suspended the High Court’s orders that had nullified the recruitment of the chairperson and commissioners of the National Land Commission (NLC), allowing the Commission to continue functioning while the appeals process is ongoing.

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National Land Commission at Ardhi House/File