[2014] KEHC 7062 (KLR)
The court found that the applicant had established sufficient grounds for leave to apply for judicial review orders of certiorari and prohibition. The Minister for Lands' decision to allocate parcel No. 39 without providing reasons for deviating from a prior objection decision and without hearing the applicant...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2014] KEHC 7062 (KLR)
- Parties
- Applicant: Runji Mucarie (deceased) represented by King’ang’i Njamiu; Respondent: Minister for Lands; Respondent: Land Registrar Mbeere District; Interested Party: John Karani Kiberenge (deceased) represented by Timothy Mugo Karani
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Kerugoya
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Judicial Review Miscellaneous Application 5 of 2014
- Procedural Posture
- Judicial Review Application / Leave to Apply for Orders of Certiorari and Prohibition
- Outcome
- Leave to apply for judicial review granted; leave to operate as stay of registration of parcel No. 39 pending hearing and determination of substantive motion.
- Judges
- BN Olao
- Legal Topics
- Judicial Review, Natural Justice, Ministerial Decision, Land Adjudication, Certiorari, Prohibition
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Runji Mucarie (deceased) represented by King’ang’i Njamiu
Applicant
Minister for Lands
Respondent
Land Registrar Mbeere District
Respondent
John Karani Kiberenge (deceased) represented by Timothy Mugo Karani
Interested Party
Procedural Posture
Judicial Review Application / Leave to Apply for Orders of Certiorari and Prohibition
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Minister for Lands acted ultra vires or in breach of natural justice in Appeal Case No. 130 of 1991.
- 2 Whether the applicant was denied a fair hearing before the decision to allocate parcel No. 39 was made.
- 3 Whether leave to apply for orders of certiorari and prohibition should be granted and operate as a stay.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the applicant had established sufficient grounds for leave to apply for judicial review orders of certiorari and prohibition. The Minister for Lands' decision to allocate parcel No. 39 without providing reasons for deviating from a prior objection decision and without hearing the applicant raised serious issues of procedural fairness and potential breach of natural justice. The court held that these allegations, if substantiated, could render the Minister's decision ultra vires and susceptible to judicial review. Accordingly, leave was granted, and such leave was ordered to operate as a stay of the Land Registrar's intended registration of the disputed parcel pending...
Court Disposition
Leave to apply for judicial review granted; leave to operate as stay of registration of parcel No. 39 pending hearing and determination of substantive motion.
Orders
- Leave to apply for orders of certiorari and prohibition is granted.
- Leave shall operate as a stay of the Land Registrar Mbeere District from registering parcel No. 39 to the 2nd interested party pending hearing and determination of the substantive Notice of Motion.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
46 paragraphs
REPUBLICOF KENYA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT KERUGOYA
JR MISC. CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 5 OF 2014
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW FOR ORDERS OF PROHIBITION AND CERTIORARI
AND
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPEAL TO THE MINISTER LAND APPEAL CASE NUMBER 130 OF 19991
JOHN KARANI KIBERENGE (DECEASED)
REPRESENTED BY TIMOTHY MUGO KARANI ....................... APPELLANT
AGAINST
RUNJI MUCARIE (DECEASED)
REPRESENTED BY KING’ANG’I NJAMIU............................ RESPONDENT
AND
IN THE MATTER OF OJBECTION NUMBER 201 OF 1988
AND
IN THE MATTER OF PARCEL NUMBER 39 OF MUTITU ADJUDICATION SECTION
RUNJI MUCARIE REPRESENTED BY KING’ANG’I NJAMIU ......................... OBJECTOR
AGAINST
JOHN KARANI KIBERENGE (REPRESENTED
BY TIMOTHY MUGO KARANI ) ................................................. DEFENDANT
AND
IN THE MATTER OF MUTITU LAND ADJUDICATION SECTION
RUNJI MUCARIE (DECEASED
REPRESENTED BY KING’ANG’I NJAMIU .............................. APPLICANT
VERSUS
MINISTER FOR LANDS ............................................................. RESPONDENT
AND
THE LAND REGISTRAR MBEERE DISTRICT ............................. 1ST INTERESTED PARTY
JOHN KARANI KIBERENGE
(REPRESENTED BY TIMOTHY MUGO KARANI ....................... 2ND INTERESTED PARTY
RULING
The ex-parte applicant herein vide his Chamber Summons dated 13th January 2014 and filed on the following day seeks leave to apply for an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the respondent who is the Minister of Lands in Appeal Case No. 130 of 1991 dated 31st July 2013 depriving him of his parcel of land No. 39 without reasonable cause. He further seeks leave to apply for an order prohibiting the Land Registrar who is the 1st interested party herein from registering the disputed land in the name of the 2nd interested party and that such leave do operate as a stay of the intended action by the said Land Registrar Mbeere District.
The application is supported by the ex-parte applicant’s verifying affidavit and other annextures in which it is deponed, inter alia, that the respondent in his ruling dated 31st July 2013 in Appeal Case No. 130 of 1991 irregularly allocated parcel No. 39 to the 2nd interested party without due process in that he did not give any reasons why he deviated from the decision in objection Case No. 201 of 1998 made on 10th April 1990. further, the applicant has deponed that the respondent did not hear his side of the story and therefore the Minister’s decision was ultra vires, unfair, un-reasonable and against the rules of natural justice.
I have considered the application, the submissions by Mr. Kamunda advocate and the verifying affidavit and Staturory statement.
From the material placed before me, I am satisfied that the ex-parte applicant has established sufficient reasons to warrant the granting of the orders sought in his Chamber Summons. I therefore grant the leave sought and direct that the said leave shall operate as a stay of the decision of the Land Registrar Mbeere District from registering the parcel No. 39 to the 2nd interested party pending the hearing and determination of the substantive Notice of Motion which shall be filed within twenty one (21) days of the delivery of this ruling. I further direct that the substantive Notice of Motion be served on all parties affected by it within 14 days of being filed.
Costs in the cause.
B.N. OLAO
JUDGE
31ST JANUARY, 2014
31/01/2014
Coram
B.N. Olao – Judge
CC – Mwangi
Mr. Ngari for Mr. Kamunda for Applicant - present
Respondent - absent (Ex-parte)
COURT: Ruling delivered in open Court this 31st day of January 2014
Mr. Ngari for Mr. Kamunda for the applicant present.