Government is awaiting a report from the Justice Law and Order Sector to decide whether or not the district land tribunals should be re-introduced.
The Land Tribunals were established by an Act of parliament to handle disputes relating to the grant, lease, repossession, transfer or acquisition of land by individuals. Late last year, the mandate of the district land tribunals expired, prompting the Chief justice, to issue a practice direction to transfer the hearing of the land cases to the Chief Magistrate and Grade One Magistrates' courts.
The Justice, Law and Order Sector, which is under the Ministry of Justice is in the process of conducting a countrywide survey on land justice and the viability of the land tribunals.
Fred Ruhindi, State Minister for Justice, says government is awaiting a report from the Justice, Law and Order Sector to determine the next step of action on the land tribunals. He says he has asked Parliament to review the powers of magistrates' courts to enable them to handle land cases valued at up to 50 million shillings.
Currently the magistrates' courts can only handle cases on land valued at five million shillings.
