The backlog of land-related dispute cases in the North Rift Region has declined from 1,500 to 700 currently, Justice Elijah Obaka, of Eldoret Land and Environment Court has said.
Justice Obaka attributed the trend to speedy hearing and determination of the land matters in court and also alternative dispute resolution for land disputes and succession cases, which the affected parties have embraced.
He urged family members to seek alternative dispute resolution for land-related cases and succession matters, to avoid adverse effects on family relationships due to prolonged court cases.
The Judge noted that this will also help the Judiciary address the huge backlog of land-related disputes in the corridors of justice.
“There has been a decline in hundreds of cases related to land disputes in our land and environment courts in Eldoret and this has been attributed to the expediency of hearing and determination of the matter. It is also encouraging that the affected parties have seen fit to resolve the matter out of court instead of seeking full hearing of the case,” said Justice Ombaka.
The Judge was speaking at Chebara Water Dam site in Elgeyo Marakwet County, where he led Court Judges and Magistrates in planting more than 1,000 seedlings, as a way of conserving the environment.
He was accompanied by the Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate, Barnabas Kiptoo, Managing Director (MD), Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company, Peter Biwott, and representatives from the National and County governments among others.
The MD said that they have planted 25,000 tree seedlings in water catchment areas in the region in their efforts to address the degradation of the environment resulting from wanton felling of trees by charcoal and timber merchants.
“We are targeting to plant tree seedlings in 177,000 hectares in this rainy season in the vast region in partnership with the local community and other stakeholders to conserve the environment,’ said the MD.
By Kiptanui Cherono
