NLC at crossroads as officials’ terms expire

Uncertainty has rocked the National Land Commission (NLC) with just about three weeks before the terms of commissioners end.

Operations at NLC are likely to grind to a halt after February 19, when the commission expires.

A dispute among outgoing commissioners and senior managers has only served to worsen matters.

Among the activities likely to stall is ongoing processing of title deeds for all public schools — in line with a presidential directive that followed an attempt to grab Lang’ata Road Primary School land in 2014.

So far, NLC says it has processed title deeds for 12,000 out of the 31,000 public schools across the country.

It has emerged that out of ten directors, only three have had their contracts renewed. At least two have lost their jobs while the status of the remaining five is unknown.

Directors who have new contracts are Kabale Arero Tache (Human Resource Management), Herbert Musoga (Land Use Planning) and Khalid Salim (Corporate Affairs and Communication).

NLC said it could not renew contracts of Francis Mugo (Finance and Administration) and Salome Munubi (Valuation and Taxation) who are charged alongside commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri over corruption.

The row over employment terms of the senior managers started late last year after vice chairperson Abigail Mbagaya accused suspended CEO Tom Chavangi of ignoring the commission’s quest to change their terms of employment.

Sources said Chavangi used an earlier resolution directing him to change the managers’ terms to permanent and pensionable. He said he had not been with minutes of an alleged meeting that revoked an earlier directive.

NLC directed some of the top officials, including Dr Fibian Lukalo from the research department and Leonard Omullo Orondo from natural resources department to apply for their jobs afresh.

They moved to court to challenge the decision, but the court granted them no orders.

Meanwhile, Ms Mercy Njamweya (Land Administration) and Mr Amos Kasaine (Information and Communication Technology) are waiting for NLC to decide their fate.

“Some of them took us to court when we asked them to apply afresh but did not get any orders. Already three have gotten their contracts and the process is ongoing. As for those who went to court, we could not renew their terms since they were on suspension at the time their terms expired,” said Ms Mbagaya.

Last December, Mbagaya ordered then acting CEO David Kuria to withdraw appointment letters issued to all directors giving them permanent and pensionable status.

“It has come to the attention of the commission that letters converting directors of the commission from contract to permanent and pensionable employees were issued against the decision of the commission,” Mbagaya said in a memo to Kuria.

She attached minutes of a meeting of May 8, 2018 during which terms of all directors were renewed.

“The commission was shocked to learn the directors are on permanent and pensionable terms, and has therefore directed that their letters should be withdrawn,” the vice chair said.

Kuria asked patience before implementing the directive which he said would take about one week.