Seleka & 4 others v Leturesh & 16 others (Environment & Land Case 341 of 2019) [2023] KEELC 20784 (KLR) (16 October 2023) (Ruling) Neutral citation: [2023] KEELC 20784 (KLR) REPUBLIC OF KENYA IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT AT NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT & LAND CASE 341 OF 2019 LN MBUGUA, J OCTOBER 16, 2023 BETWEEN KASAINE OLE SELEKA ...................................................................... 1ST PLAINTIFF JAMES MOKOIRE MOONKA ........................................................... 2ND PLAINTIFF JOHN MILIA MULI ............................................................................ 3RD PLAINTIFF KILELO OLE SEITA ............................................................................ 4TH PLAINTIFF MANINA RIKOYIAN ......................................................................... 5TH PLAINTIFF AND DANIEL KIRIA LETURESH .......................................................... 1ST DEFENDANT ELIJAH KEEN NAINI ..................................................................... 2ND DEFENDANT JOSEPH KIPAIPAI NTAANI .......................................................... 3RD DEFENDANT EUSTACE N KITHUMBI ................................................................ 4TH DEFENDANT JOSIAH K LESSAN .......................................................................... 5TH DEFENDANT DIRECTOR OF LAND ADJUDICATION & SETTLEMENT .... 6TH DEFENDANT MINISTRY OF LANDS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING, COUNTY SURVEYOR KAJIADO .......................................................................................... 7TH DEFENDANT REGISTRAR OF LANDS KAJIADO ............................................. 8TH DEFENDANT DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL PLANNING, KAJIADO COUNTY .... 9TH DEFENDANT REGISTRAR OF COMMUNITY LAND .................................... 10TH DEFENDANT LEPERES OLE KOSEI .................................................................... 11TH DEFENDANT https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2023/20784/eng@2023-10-16 1
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THOMAS MARIMPET ................................................................. 12TH DEFENDANT LENKISHON KAMITI SITOYI ................................................... 13TH DEFENDANT KEEN OLE NKOMIYA .................................................................. 14TH DEFENDANT RINKOINE KALAMA .................................................................. 15TH DEFENDANT SIMON MPUTE OLOITIPITIP ................................................... 16TH DEFENDANT LONINGO OLE SEREKA ............................................................. 17TH DEFENDANT RULING 1. This ruling relates to the application for adjournment made by counsel for 7th – 9th defendants on the ground that they have diculties reaching to their clients. The application is opposed by counsel for plainti but is supported by counsel for 1st – 3rd defendants. 2. The records indicate that way back on 26.7.2022, the matter was in court for Pretrial Directions when counsel Motari for 7th – 9th defendants sought 21 days to comply with order 11. The court gave then 45 days to comply and set the matter down for further Pretrial Direction on 31.1.2023 in open court. The said defendants never turned up in court again until today. 3. In the case of Virginia Kathambi Maingi v Nicholas Mwatika & 2 others [2021] eKLR, the court had this to say on the issue of Pre trial directions: “ practice Directions act as a reux value to facilitate progress and avoid stagnation in resolution of disputes.” 4. In the case of Moschion v Mwangi (ELC Case No 350 of 2018) [2023] KEELC 17144 (KLR), I stated that the right to be heard is sacrosanct but only available to parties who don’t drive themselves from the seat of justice. 5. The 7th – 9th defendants have heard one year and 3 months (since July 2022) to prepare for the case, but since then, they have never bothered to appear in court for purposes of preparing for the trial. They are not even sure if their pleadings have been duly served. 6. In the circumstances, I decline to allow the prayer for adjournment. On the same breadth, I decline the application for counsel for 7th – 9th defendants to cease acting. DATED, SIGNED AND DELIVERED AT NAIROBI THIS 16TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023 THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS. LUCY N. MBUGUA JUDGE https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2023/20784/eng@2023-10-16 2
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