Nairobi: The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has raised concerns regarding the exclusion of core land professionals in the recent appointment of commissioners to the national land commission. ISK is the professional body that brings together professionals who provide services in the land-built sector.
According to Kenya News Agency, ISK President Eric Nyadimo expressed deep concern during a media briefing on Wednesday regarding the apparent exclusion of core land professionals, despite their express recognition under the law as core competencies required for appointment. ISK conveyed their disappointment with the communication coming from the Executive Office of the President, particularly the notification of Presidential Action No. V of 2026 dated 17 February 2026 on the Nomination of Chairperson and Six Members of the National Land Commission (NLC).
Nyadimo stated that ISK respects the constitutional mandate of the appointing authorities under Article 67 and Article 250 of the Constitution of Kenya and the procedure set out in the First Schedule to the National Land Commission Act (Cap. 281). He emphasized the necessity of improving land management and governance in the country, noting that ISK played a significant role in championing the inclusion of Chapter 5 on environment and land in the Constitution. The birth of the National Land Commission was seen as essential to ensure Constitutional and policy reforms, professionalism within the realm of land administration, address historical injustices, and ensure accountability in land governance.
Nyadimo questioned the assessment process used by the Selection Panel, wondering whether there was a scoring system that led to the exclusion of landed professionals. He pointed out that Section 8(1)(b)(v) and Section 8(2)(b)(v) of Chapter Six of the constitution list ‘land law, land survey, spatial planning or land economics’ as recognized and relevant fields of expertise for appointment to the Commission, suggesting that the law anticipates representation from professionals in these disciplines.
He explained that under Section 5 of the National Land Commission Act, the Commission’s functions include managing public land, conducting research related to land and natural resource use, investigating historical land injustices, and overseeing land use planning nationwide, among others. Nyadimo emphasized that these functions are inherently technical and spatial, requiring expertise in land surveying, valuation, physical planning, environmental management, and land administration and governance.
Highlighting the importance of professional expertise, he noted that licensed professionals meet the statutory qualifications envisioned under Section 8 of the Act, underscoring that their technical knowledge is foundational to the Commission’s mandate. Nyadimo argued that land professionals are best suited to oversee and develop policies for public land governance, recommend national land policies, guide research on natural resources, adjudicate historical land injustices, and advise on national land taxation regimes.
Nyadimo concluded by stating that land governance in Kenya is one of the most sensitive and technically complex areas of public administration. Ensuring that the Commission benefits from specialized professional expertise is not merely a sectoral concern but a national governance imperative. The exclusion of professionals from these disciplines raises concerns about the Commission’s technical capacity in executing land-related investigations and oversight, as well as the need for institutional balance to ensure multi-disciplinary representation within the Commission.
