https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/kehc/2026/7371

https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/kehc/2026/7371

The court held that a statutory demand need not be signed only by the creditor personally; an advocate may sign on the creditor's behalf. It further held that in a liquidation petition founded on indebtedness, the statutory demand is properly signed by the Deputy Registrar in accordance with Rule 77B(2)(a). The...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2026] KEHC 7371 (KLR)
Parties
Petitioner/creditor: Suleiman Buya Ramadhan; Debtor/respondent: The Monarch Insurance Company Limited
Court
High Court
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Insolvency Cause E002 of 2025
Procedural Posture
Insolvency Cause Preliminary Objection in a Liquidation Petition / Ruling on Preliminary Objection
Outcome
Preliminary objection dismissed with costs to the petitioner
Judges
["JN Njagi"]
Legal Topics
Liquidation Petition, Statutory Demand, Validity of Statutory Notice, Authority of Advocate to Sign Demand, Role of Deputy Registrar in Endorsing Demand, Preliminary Objection
Source Language
en
Insolvency Law Company Law Civil Procedure Liquidation Petition Statutory Demand Validity of Statutory Notice Authority of Advocate to Sign Demand Role of Deputy Registrar in Endorsing Demand +1 more

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Parties

Suleiman Buya Ramadhan

Petitioner/creditor

The Monarch Insurance Company Limited

Debtor/respondent

Procedural Posture

Insolvency Cause Preliminary Objection in a Liquidation Petition / Ruling on Preliminary Objection

  1. 1 Whether a statutory demand may be signed by the creditor's advocate or only by the creditor personally
  2. 2 Whether the statutory demand must be endorsed by the Deputy Registrar of the High Court
  3. 3 Whether the petition was incompetent for lack of a valid statutory demand

Ratio Decidendi

The court held that a statutory demand need not be signed only by the creditor personally; an advocate may sign on the creditor's behalf. It further held that in a liquidation petition founded on indebtedness, the statutory demand is properly signed by the Deputy Registrar in accordance with Rule 77B(2)(a). The respondent's authorities were distinguishable because they dealt with demands signed by the Deputy Registrar instead of the creditor or advocate, which was not the situation here. The preliminary objection therefore failed.

Court Disposition

Preliminary objection dismissed with costs to the petitioner

Orders

  • The preliminary objection is dismissed with costs to the petitioner.