Surveyors Slam NLC Appointments Over Missing Technical Expertise

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya has sharply criticised the recent nominations to the National Land Commission, accusing the appointing authorities of sidelining critical land professionals required to steer the country’s land governance framework.

In a strongly worded statement, the institution said it was disappointed by Notification of Presidential Action No. V of 2026 issued by the Executive Office of the President of Kenya announcing nominees for chairperson and six members of the commission. 

The body argued that the apparent exclusion of experts in land survey, spatial planning, land law and land economics undermines the technical foundation envisioned in law.

The surveyors pointed to Section 8 of the National Land Commission Act, which explicitly lists land-related disciplines as recognised fields of expertise for appointment. 

They questioned whether the Selection Panel applied a transparent scoring system and whether qualified land professionals who applied were fairly evaluated.

According to the institution, the commission’s mandate — including managing public land, advising on land registration, investigating historical land injustices, reviewing grants of public land and developing land information systems — is inherently technical and requires specialised training and licensing.

“These are not functions that can be learned on the job,” the statement said, warning that appointing individuals without core land expertise risks weakening oversight, policy direction and public confidence in the commission.

The institution further argued that the National Land Commission was established under Chapter Five of the Constitution to safeguard public land and entrench professionalism in land governance.

Excluding trained and regulated land professionals, it said, defeats that purpose and could compromise effective implementation of Sections 5, 6 and 14 of the Act.

The body urged President William Ruto to reconsider the appointments to ensure they reflect the multidisciplinary expertise required to manage Kenya’s sensitive and complex land sector.

It reaffirmed its commitment to merit-based public appointments, professional standards and collaboration with state agencies to safeguard public interest in land administration.