Kilifi approves policy to offer succession legal services through county lawyers
County officials say implementation details, including how residents will apply for succession support, will be communicated once the policy takes effect.
Kilifi residents struggling with unresolved succession and land disputes may soon find relief after the cabinet approved a policy allowing the county government to offer succession legal services through county lawyers.
The decision is expected to ease a long-standing burden for families who have been unable to complete succession cases due to high legal fees, lengthy court processes and limited access to lawyers.
More To Read
- Landmark report reveals widespread abuse, killings of older persons in Kilifi
- Speaker Kingi submits list of absentee landlord farms to Ruto for squatter resettlement
- EACC reclaims Sh21 million public land in Mombasa after 17-year legal battle
- Indigenous women sound alarm over growing threats from conflict, inequality
- Kilifi governor urges owners of long-closed hotels to sell them as county pushes for tourism revival
- Third Kilifi health forum opens with urgent calls for financing, digital solutions
In many cases, these challenges have left widows, orphans, and elderly family members locked out of land and property that legally belongs to them.
Under the new policy, county lawyers will be allowed to handle succession and land-related legal matters, a move the county says will make the process more affordable and faster, particularly for vulnerable households.
For residents like 62-year-old Mwatumwa Charo from Ganze, the announcement offers hope after years of frustration.
“My husband died ten years ago, but I have never completed succession because I could not afford a lawyer,” she said.
According to her, “The land is there, but we cannot use it properly. If the county can help us, it will save many families.”
Peter Mwangala, a community elder, noted, “Most family fights start after a parent dies. People sell land illegally or chase others away because succession was never done. This policy could reduce conflicts if it is implemented well.”
The cabinet meeting that approved the succession policy also endorsed several other measures touching on county governance and livelihoods.
Among them is a revised finance bill, which has now been forwarded to the county assembly, with adjustments said to consider the position of small traders.
A county revenue authority bill was also approved to strengthen revenue collection and management, while a liquor control fund was established to regulate liquor-related activities across the county.
In addition, the cabinet approved the Kilifi Rising Star Programme, aimed at identifying and supporting emerging talent in areas such as sports, arts and culture.
However, some residents have urged the county to ensure the policies move beyond paper.
County officials say implementation details, including how residents will apply for succession support, will be communicated once the policy takes effect.
Top Stories Today
