President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated Gershom Otachi Omanwa the chairperson of the National Land Commission.
Otachi was among the battery of lawyers who represented Uhuru during his ICC case at The Hague.
The appointment ends the long wait at NLC which has been without commissioners since the exit of the Muhamad Swazuri-led team in February.
Otachi is a lawyer and specialises in civil, land, criminal, matrimonial, and property matters. He has for the past four years been the chair of the Geothermal Development Company.
Former Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi is among the eight other members whose names Uhuru has sent to Parliament for approval.
Kambi has since April been the chairman of the Coast Development Authority.
He holds an MBA in Strategic Management and is pursuing a PhD in Finance at Maseno University.
Other nominees are former Nyeri Town MP Esther Murugi, former Egerton University Vice-Chancellor James Tuitoek, ex-Isiolo Woman MP Tiyah Galgalo, Alister Mutugi, Reginald Okumu, and Gertrude Nduku.
Murugi has an MBA in Global Business with a long career in the real estate sector, a role she has kept playing even after losing her parliamentary seat in 2017.
She is the managing director of Lustman Co (90) Ltd and Mugi Property Consultants, a valuation firm she started in 1987.
Tuitoek is a scientist and headed Egerton University for 10 years. He joined the university in 1997 and rose through the ranks from being Dean, Faculty of Agriculture. Before then, he headed the Pig Unit at Karlo in Naivasha.
Okumu is a mine of experience in real estate, having trained as a land economist. He has an MBA from Strathmore University.
Also in the list is Garissa-based rights activist Hubbie Hussein Al-Haji. She holds a BA in Development Studies and served as Garissa CECM for Health and Agriculture.
Nguku is a consultant on international law, human rights and Kenyan law. She has a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies.
Mutugi presented her bid as a real estate and construction professional. She is pursuing an MSc in Finance at the University of Nairobi.
Speaker Justin Muturi said the nomination will be discussed when the House resumes sittings on September 9.
He said the appointments will be debated and approved within 14 days of communicating the report to the House.
