Ruto nominates another Kwale resident to chair National Land Commission
President William Ruto has nominated Dr Abdillahi Saggaf Alawy as Chairperson of the National Land Commission (NLC), returning leadership of the powerful constitutional land body to Kwale County, which also produced its inaugural chair under the 2010 Constitution.
The nomination, announced on Tuesday February 17, 2026, follows a Court of Appeal ruling that authorised the recruitment and nomination of a third cohort of commissioners strictly to fill vacant positions of the Chairperson and six members.
The court allowed the process to proceed pending the hearing and determination of related appeals, while protecting the tenure of two serving commissioners whose terms expire in December 2026.
Dr Alawy is an academic and development specialist with a background in agricultural sciences, monitoring and evaluation, and institutional governance.
If approved by the National Assembly, he will take over from the previous leadership and steer the Commission at a time when land governance, compulsory acquisition, and historical land injustice claims remain politically and economically sensitive.
Kwale first produced the NLC chair when Prof Muhammad Swazuri led the Commission after its establishment under Article 67 of the Constitution.
With Dr Alawy’s nomination, the coastal county once again stands to occupy the top seat in the agency responsible for managing public land on behalf of national and county governments, advising on land policy, and investigating historical land injustices.
Alongside Dr Alawy, the President nominated six commissioners:
Ms Susan Khakasa Oyatsi (Kakamega County)
Mr Daniel Murithi Muriungi (Meru County)
Mr Kigen Vincent Cheruiyot (Kericho County), former Chair of the National Employment Authority
Dr Julie Ouma Oseko (Siaya County), legal scholar and governance expert
Mr Mohamed Abdi Haji Mohamed (Mandera County), former Member of Parliament for Banissa Constituency
Ms Mary Yiane Seneta (Kajiado County), former nominated Senator
They will serve alongside the two current commissioners whose tenure remains protected by the Court of Appeal:
Ms Esther Murugi Mathenge, former Member of Parliament for Nyeri Town and former Cabinet Minister
Ms Tiyah Galgalo Ali, former Women Representative for Isiolo County
The appellate court affirmed that Ms Mathenge and Ms Galgalo’s six-year terms, which began in December 2020 and end on December 20, 2026, remain valid and unaffected by the new recruitment.
The nominations have been transmitted to the National Assembly for vetting and approval.
If Parliament clears them, the National Land Commission will be fully constituted after months of legal uncertainty over its composition.
The reconstitution of the NLC comes at a critical moment.
The Commission remains central to resolving land disputes, overseeing compulsory acquisition for public projects, and addressing long-standing historical land injustices — issues that continue to shape Kenya’s political stability and development agenda.
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