[2020] KECA 636 (KLR)

[2020] KECA 636 (KLR)

The Court of Appeal held that the Environment and Land Court had jurisdiction to determine disputes concerning community land, including unadjudicated land, as provided by the Constitution and the Environment and Land Court Act. The Community Land Act, enacted after the suit was filed, could not be applied...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2020] KECA 636 (KLR)
Parties
Appellant: Andrew Rimba Chengo; Appellant: Harrison Matho Fondo; Appellant: Masha Dyler Gona; Respondent: Kasungu Nyundo; Respondent: Kassim Nyundo
Court
Court of Appeal
Court Station
Court of Appeal at Mombasa
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Civil Appeal 154 of 2018
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Judgment
Outcome
Appeal dismissed in part; trial court's award of suit land to respondents set aside; each party to bear own costs.
Judges
DK Musinga, AK Murgor
Legal Topics
Community Land, Ancestral Land Rights, Jurisdiction of Environment and Land Court, Unadjudicated Land, Limitation of Actions, Pleadings and Counterclaims
Source Language
en
Land and Property Community Land Ancestral Land Rights Jurisdiction of Environment and Land Court Unadjudicated Land Limitation of Actions Pleadings and Counterclaims

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Andrew Rimba Chengo

Appellant

Harrison Matho Fondo

Appellant

Masha Dyler Gona

Appellant

Kasungu Nyundo

Respondent

Kassim Nyundo

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Judgment

  1. 1 Whether the Environment and Land Court had jurisdiction to determine disputes over unadjudicated community land.
  2. 2 Whether the appellants established ownership of the suit land on a balance of probabilities.
  3. 3 Whether the trial court erred in awarding the suit land to the respondents in the absence of a counterclaim.

Ratio Decidendi

The Court of Appeal held that the Environment and Land Court had jurisdiction to determine disputes concerning community land, including unadjudicated land, as provided by the Constitution and the Environment and Land Court Act. The Community Land Act, enacted after the suit was filed, could not be applied retrospectively. On the merits, the appellants failed to establish ownership of the suit land on a balance of probabilities, as there was no valid agreement or evidence that the respondents' grandfather returned the land to the appellants' grandfather. The evidence indicated that the respondents' family remained in occupation of the land. However, the trial court erred in awarding the...

Court Disposition

Appeal dismissed in part; trial court's award of suit land to respondents set aside; each party to bear own costs.

Orders

  • The appeal against the judgment of the Environment and Land Court dated 31st August 2017 is dismissed, save that the appeal against award of the suit land to the respondents is allowed.
  • Each party to bear their own costs.