Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has reaffirmed that the public seal—used to authenticate official government documents—remains under the lawful custody of her office, countering recent reports suggesting it had been transferred to the Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei.
Oduor clarified that under Section 28 of the Office of the Attorney General Act, Cap 6A, her office is the legal custodian of the seal.She made the remarks during the official launch of the Critical Litigation Lands Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) Committee, an inter-agency taskforce established to address the growing backlog of land and environment-related disputes in the country.
According to the Attorney General, more than 10,581 cases involving the government are currently pending before Kenyan courts. These include 1,852 land fraud cases, 315 illegal acquisitions of public land, 283 double allocations, 169 eviction cases, 128 compulsory acquisition matters, and 40 historical land injustice disputes, among others.“The delays in resolving these cases have significantly affected development projects, public trust, and the enforcement of environmental rights,” said Oduor.
The RRI Committee, which operates on a 100-day performance framework, has been tasked with reviewing, categorizing, and prioritizing high-impact cases, proposing litigation strategies, and recommending policy reforms. It will also promote Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, particularly in boundary and compensation-related disputes.
The committee brings together legal professionals from both the private and public sectors. Members from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) were selected through a transparent vetting process, while public sector representatives include regional legal heads from Mombasa, Meru, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, and the Lands Unit headquarters.
LSK welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the urgency of resolving land disputes and upholding ethical standards and public accountability.
Oduor expressed full confidence in the committee’s ability to deliver timely outcomes. “This taskforce is a critical step toward unlocking stalled development, strengthening investor confidence, and restoring trust in legal institutions,” she said.
The AG urged the team to act with urgency and commitment, noting that some resolutions could be fast-tracked before the 100-day target is met
