Goren & another v Ngetich (Environment and Planning Civil Case E001 of 2023) [2025] KEELC 6266 (KLR)
The bottom line
#A Kenyan land court refused to cancel title entries or punish contempt where the court order was unclear, but allowed the case to be amended.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Questions the Court framed
#The issues the Court set itself to decide, in its own words.
- 1.Whether entries numbers 9, 10 and 11 on the Certificate of Title No. I.R 18475 should be cancelled
- 2.Whether the defendant/respondent is in contempt of the court orders issued on 6th December 2023
- 3.Whether the provisional title to the suit property should be deposited in court for safe keeping
- 4.Whether the orders of 6th December 2023 should be reviewed to include the full parcel number LR No. 10214/1 (IR No. 18475)
- 5.Whether leave should be granted to the plaintiffs to further amend their plaint
Key legal issues
#Whether entries on the certificate of title could be cancelled at the interlocutory stage
Refused; cancellation is a final remedy unavailable at interlocutory stage
The court held that cancelling entries in a certificate of title is a final order that cannot be granted at this stage of the suit, as it would be prejudicial and would deny the parties their right to a fair hearing under Articles 50(1) and 25(c) of the Constitution. The court cited Chemwolo and Kanyiita Nderitu in support of the need for parties to be heard before final determinations.
Whether the defendant was in contempt of the status quo orders of 6th December 2023
No contempt established; the order was ambiguous
Applying section 5 of the Judicature Act and Hadkinson v Hadkinson, the court acknowledged the obligation to obey court orders, but found the order ambiguous because the applicants themselves admitted the order lacked the full land reference number. Citing Stewart Robertson v Her Majesty's Advocate, contempt requires wilful defiance; absent a clear order, no deliberate disobedience could be found on the part of the respondent.
Whether the orders of 6th December 2023 should be reviewed to include the full parcel number
Refused; review subsumed in the permitted amendment of the plaint
The court noted Order 45 of the Civil Procedure Rules 2010 governs review, but held that the review sought was dependent on the proposed further amendment of the plaint, which was uncontested. Since amendment of the plaint would allow the full parcel number to be pleaded, the review prayer was unnecessary and was not granted as a separate order.
Whether leave should be granted to further amend the plaint
Granted; amendment is unopposed and serves the determination of the real question in controversy
The amendment was not opposed, and under Order 8 Rule 5 of the Civil Procedure Rules 2010 the purpose of amendment is the determination of the real question in controversy. The court also invoked its broad discretion to allow amendments, referencing General Manager, E.A. R & H A & Thierstein, and allowed the 7th prayer.
Legal principles established
#- Cancellation of entries in a certificate of title is a final order which cannot be granted at an interlocutory stage of a suit
- Contempt of court requires wilful and deliberate disobedience of a clear and unambiguous court order
Court orders
#- 1.The application is disallowed save for the 7th prayer for leave to further amend the plaint, which is allowed accordingly
- 2.Costs of the application to be in the cause
The bench
#One judgment of the whole court — no separate or dissenting opinions.
Wrote the judgment
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Article 162(2)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 (read with Article 162(20)(b) as referenced in the judgment), conferring jurisdiction on the Environment and Land Court
Relief refused
#Cancellation of entries numbers 9, 10 and 11 on the Certificate of Title No. I.R 18475
Cancellation of entries in the certificate of title is a final order which cannot be granted at the interlocutory stage of the suit; it may be prejudicial to the parties and deny them fair hearing under Articles 50(1) and 25(c) of the Constitution
Declaration that the defendant is in contempt of court and committal/fine
The order of 6th December 2023 was ambiguous as it did not contain the full land reference number, so no deliberate, wilful disobedience was established; contempt requires wilful defiance
Deposit of the provisional title to the suit property in court for safe keeping
The issue calls for hearing of the suit on merit and the parties must be given an opportunity to argue it before determination
Review of the orders of 6th December 2023 to include the full parcel number
The review sought is subject to the proposed further amendment of the plaint; once amendment is allowed, review is unnecessary
Costs
Costs of the application be in the cause
Quotable passages
#Verbatim from the judgment, each located to the page it appears on in the official PDF — so these can be cited and checked directly.
It is worth to note that cancellation of entries in the certificate of title is a final order which cannot be granted at this stage of the suit.
In light of the applicants’ admission of some ambiguity in the order, there is no deliberate disobedience of the orders of 6th December 2023 on part of the respondent.
To that end, the application is partially unmeritorious. The same is hereby disallowed save for the 7th prayer for leave to further amend the plaint which is allowed accordingly.
Given the nature of the application and the circumstances, costs of the same be in the cause.
Issues in the judgment
#The court, when discussing section 80 of the Land Registration Act, describes provisions that actually concern review of orders under Order 45 of the Civil Procedure Rules, appearing to conflate the two provisions
The coram lists counsel for the defendant as 'defendant/applicant' although in the suit the defendant is the respondent to the application
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Goren & another v Ngetich (Environment and Planning Civil Case E001 of 2023) [2025] KEELC 6266 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). Not stated in the judgment. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2025/6266/eng@2025-09-23
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.