Ownership of matrimonial property vests in the spouses according to the contribution of either spouse towards the acquisition and shall be divided between the spouses if they divorce or their marriage is otherwise dissolved.

Divorce is the termination of a marriage cancelling all responsibilities and duties arising between the spouses in a marriage. In Kenya one needs to prove that there is no conspiracy or unjust cause tailoring the push for a divorce. The Kenyan Law in the Marriage act section 66 and 67 establishes grounds that may cause a divorce in a civil or Christian marriage.

Democracy is a system of the government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state ,or typically through  representation where people can choose their leader and check on how they represent them. Democracy can be categorized into two; forms direct and representative.

Recently the Chief Justice of Kenya Hon Martha Koome visited Nakuru City to launch the small claims court and the same sparked up a conversation within the legal profession and also the lay people. This piece seeks to demystify the elements within the operationalization of the small claims’ court.

Kenya experienced a political and humanitarian crisis following presidential elections on 27 December 2007. Over 1,200 people were killed and 300,000 displaced, with disproportionate violence in Kenya.

What are the main types of title deeds in Kenya

There are three types of titles deeds in the country

Absolute title deed which is also known as freehold title - The owner has maximum rights on the ownership of the land. It cannot be challenged.

Certificate of lease - it is where the land was obtained for a specific period of time as the lessor surrenders their rights to the lessee subject to a lease agreement.

Sectional title – it is often involved in buildings where one owns part of a building. An example is an apartment in a flat.

Can a foreigner obtain a land title deed in Kenya

A foreigner in Kenya may only obtain a leasehold title which stands valid only for a period of 99years. It is renewable subject to government directives. It is the government through the National Land Commission that determines the terms of the leasehold. It may reacquire the land on the expiry of the lease and do allocations to other people. The ways in which a foreigner may own land areas; a company, trust or individually (in person)

Ways in which one may acquire a title deed

One may acquire land through;

• Allocation where the government distributes land to members of the public mainly done through ballot system, auctions and tenders
  Land adjudication this is also known as community land
• Compulsory acquisition done by the government to improve social amenities such as road construction
• Adverse possession where one resides in a particular place continually without opposition for 12 years
• Settlement program where the government allows squatters to stay on a particular piece of land for a particular period
• Transmission - where the title passes to another party for reasons such as death or liquidation Transfer through sale of land

What are the steps followed in the transfer of a land title deed in Kenya

The first step to acquire a title deed is;

The buyer needs a rates clearance certificate from the National Land Commission which is free

The seller on the other hand is expected to apply for the same certificate from the county government offices at a cost of Ksh 10,000

Conduct a search at the land registration office to determine the legal owner of the parcel of land and if there are any encumbrances on the parcel. The entire search is worth five hundred Kenyan shillings.

Apply for consent from the office of the commissioner of lands upon approval by the land control board on the second sitting. This process conducted by the seller and it charges a fee of Ksh 1,00o.

Application for valuation of the land. The process is carried out by a government value to ensure the right amount is paid. It this at this stage, that the amount to be paid as stamp duty is determined.

The next step is payment of stamp duty to the Kenya Revenue Authority where the receipt is issued as proof of clearance

The final step is to hence process the transfer at the land offices.

Why is it necessary to conduct a search before buying land

It is necessary to conduct a search on a parcel of land for the following reasons;

• To determine the legal registered owner of the land in question
• To determine if there any cautions put by court orders due to property disputes
• To find out if there any encumbrances put on the land such as charges or mortgages by banks or any other institutions

What are the requirements of conducting a search in Kenya

Conducting a search on the parcel of land to be bought is the first step in the transfer of a land title. One needs the following to conduct a search;

A fully executed consent form, copy of the land title deed of the seller, a copy of the Kenya Revenue Authority certificate of the seller, an identity card for the applicant if they are Kenyan, a passport if the applicant is foreign and a non-resident and an alien card for foreigners who are residents in the country.

What documents does one need to transfer a land title deed from a seller to a buyer?

After a successful search at the land registry on the parcel of land in question one needs to apply for consent to transfer. The commissioner of land is one responsible for giving consent to transfer the land subject to the land control board sittings. One requires the following documents for this exercise

A current official search, A spousal consent in cases where necessary, the original and a copy of the title deed, a copy of the national identification card for both parties, a copy of the Kenya Revenue Authority certificates of both parties of the sale and finally a duly filled application for consent form subject to approval by the office in charge.

All the stake holders right from the commission play and important role in ensuring peace is maintained in the country as Kenya awaits the National elections on 9^th August .The commission is responsible for conducting supervising elections as prescribed by the constitution, it can do all this by ensuring the continuous registration of voters without biasness and also regulate the voters roll.

Kenya has had a history of violence whenever there are elections,  along with human rights violations, with the worst of it all being the 2007/2008 election violence following the disputed results of the presidential election.

Egerton University’s Faculty of Law Legal Aid Project (FOLLAP) with support from the European Union and United Nations Development Programme under the Amkeni Wakenya Civil Society Democratic Governance Facility is co-creating the Third National Conference on Access to Justice. Themed “Access to Justice During Electioneering Period in Africa in the 21^st Century”, the conference will be held in Nakuru County from 14^th- 19^th November 2022.

Theme: Access to Justice and Democracy for Persons With Disabilities, Venue:  Egerton University, The moot dates will be 27^th - 29^th November.

Earlier definitions of gender-based violence (GBV) centered on violence against women.

It was defined as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

It is time we think seriously about SGBV. Thus, in this edition we we take the position of potential victims writing to say, “We wish to inform you that tomorrow we shall be attacked at our safest spaces. Kindly respond!”

This publication comes at a time when we are celebrating 10 years since theThis publication comes at a time when we are celebrating 10 years since thepromulgation of the Constitution of Kenya (2010). There is consensus that it isthe most progressive constitution in the world for protection of human rights andfundamental freedoms as manifested in its bill of rights.

In this issue, we thus share with you our one-year story; the road travelled soIn this issue, we thus share with you our one-year story; the road travelled sofar. In doing so, we hope to signpost where we are headed as we get ready tolaunch the activities for the second year. Yet our success story is also your story. It is with you that we have achieved allthat we see as milestones in the project. We however bear the mis-steps as asole responsibility and promise to correct all that we can, in due course.

Access to justice is a basic principle of the rule of law andAccess to justice is a basic principle of the rule of law andcomponent of justice. It is a right guaranteed under internationalinstruments and the Constitution of Kenya. Accessing justice iscomplex and can be difficult especially for the vulnerable andmarginalized members in the society due to inequality, socioeconomicstatus, gender bias and stereotypes in the justicesystem. I fully appreciate the work done by various entities in thejustice system in promoting access to justice in their variousspheres. The academy plays a pivotal role in access to justice asit is through its training that lives of those responsible foradministering justice is initially shaped.