Republic v National Land Commission; Five Star Agencies Limited (Exparte Applicant) (Environment & Land Case 445 of 2014) [2025] KEELC 4313 (KLR)
The bottom line
#The Environment and Land Court ordered the National Land Commission's CEO to pay Five Star Agencies over Kshs. 909 million owed since a 2014 land compensation judgment.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Key legal issues
#Whether the application, filed in the main suit rather than a miscellaneous application, was fatally defective
The application was properly before the court; the Applicant complied with Order 53 by obtaining leave, and the court was entitled to overlook procedural defects under Article 159(2)(d)
The court held that judicial review proceedings require leave, which the Applicant duly sought and obtained through its Chamber Summons dated 13th February 2025. Though Rule 11 of the Fair Administrative Action Rules prescribes an Originating Motion, Section 13(5)(b) of the Environment and Land Court Act empowers the court to grant any just relief, including prerogative orders. Guided by the Supreme Court's guidance in Shabbir Ali Jusab, the court found no prejudice to the Respondent and prioritized substantive justice given the judgment was over ten years old.
Whether mandamus should issue against the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Land Commission
Mandamus issued against the Chief Executive Officer only, as accounting officer under Section 20(4) of the National Land Commission Act; the claim against the Chairman failed
The court found no dispute that the judgment of 24th November 2014 remains unsatisfied and unvaried. The Applicant, barred from executing against a government entity under Section 21(4) of the Government Proceedings Act, had extracted and personally served a Certificate of Order upon the Respondent's officials, satisfying the condition precedent under Section 21(1) and (2). The Respondent's admission of non-payment, attributable to KENHA's failure to remit funds, could not forestall mandamus, as the duty to pay is not conditioned on receipt of funds from the acquiring entity.
Legal principles established
#- A monetary decree against the Government can only be enforced by way of an order of mandamus compelling the accounting officer to pay, execution being barred under Section 21(4) of the Government Proceedings Act
- Section 21(3) of the Government Proceedings Act imposes a statutory duty on the accounting officer to pay upon service of the Certificate of Order, and payment is not conditioned on budgetary allocation
- The Chief Executive Officer of the National Land Commission is the Commission's accounting officer against whom mandamus should issue
Court orders
#- 1.An order of Mandamus issued directed to the Chief Executive Officer, National Land Commission, as the accounting officer, compelling her to pay the Ex Parte Applicant the sum of Kshs. 909,023,500/- together with further interest from 3rd December 2024 until payment in full
- 2.Costs of the application to be borne by the Respondent
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Law Reform Act and Order 53 of the Civil Procedure Rules; Section 13(5)(b) of the Environment and Land Court Act
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Republic v National Land Commission; Five Star Agencies Limited (Exparte Applicant) (Environment & Land Case 445 of 2014) [2025] KEELC 4313 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). ELC 445 of 2014 (Judicial Review Notice of Motion dated 3rd March 2025). Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2025/4313/eng@2025-06-09
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.