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ELCAllowedNot stated in the judgment

Mwobobia v Gacheri & another (Land Case (Originating Summons) E013 of 2024) [2026] KEELC 782 (KLR)

Environment and Land Court
12 February 2026
BEB M Eboso
186 words in judgment
View original judgmentRead on Kenya Law Watch case
AI-assisted case brief
·~1 min to read original · ~4 min brief

The bottom line

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Kenya's Environment and Land Court confirmed you can file a counterclaim even in a land suit started by originating summons.

What this practically means

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Executive summary

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This is a short case-management ruling delivered by B M Eboso, ELC Judge, at Meru on 12 February 2026 in a land matter originally commenced by originating summons. The matter had been scheduled for hearing of the defendants' application dated 16/1/2026 on 3/3/2026, but because the court would be on leave in March 2026, it was listed for mention to allocate a fresh hearing date. At the mention, counsel for the plaintiff submitted that the plaintiff no longer opposed the defendants' application dated 16/1/2026 and that the defendants could be granted leave to bring their counterclaim. The court held that although the suit had been filed as an originating summons, there was no harm in the exhibited draft counterclaim being filed in the suit. It directed that the replying affidavit dated 27/3/2025 be treated as the defendants' joint defence, and granted the defendants liberty to file and serve their counterclaim within 7 days. The parties were to file and exchange their trial bundles thereafter, and a mention was set for 14 April 2026 for pre-trial. No costs order was made and no authorities were cited. The ruling reflects the court's discretionary case-management powers and the uncontested nature of the application, given the plaintiff's withdrawal of opposition on the record.

Questions the Court framed

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The issues the Court set itself to decide, in its own words.

  1. 1.Whether the defendants should be granted leave to file and serve a counterclaim in a suit commenced by originating summons
  2. 2.Directions on the filing and exchange of trial bundles and pre-trial mention

Key legal issues

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01

Whether leave to file a counterclaim should issue in a suit commenced by originating summons

Holding

Leave was granted; the court saw no obstacle to a counterclaim being filed notwithstanding the originating summons form, and the plaintiff withdrew its opposition to the application.

Reasoning

The plaintiff's counsel intimated that the plaintiff no longer opposed the defendants' application dated 16/1/2026 and that the defendants could be granted leave to bring their counterclaim. The court, exercising case-management discretion, found no harm in admitting the exhibited draft counterclaim into the suit. It converted the replying affidavit into a joint defence, allowed the counterclaim to be filed within 7 days, and set a pre-trial mention.

p. 1

Legal principles established

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  • The form of commencement of a suit (originating summons) is not a bar to the filing of a counterclaim in the suit

Court orders

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  1. 1.The replying affidavit dated 27/3/2025 shall be treated as the defendants' joint defence
  2. 2.The defendants are at liberty to file and serve their counterclaim within 7 days
  3. 3.Parties will thereafter file and exchange their trial bundles
  4. 4.Mention on 14/4/2026 for pre-trial

The bench

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One judgment of the whole court — no separate or dissenting opinions.

BE
majority

Wrote the judgment

Jurisdiction invoked
Original jurisdiction of the Environment and Land Court (provision not stated in the judgment)

Quotable passages

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Verbatim from the judgment, each located to the page it appears on in the official PDF — so these can be cited and checked directly.

Consequently, the replying afidavit dated 27/3/2025 shall be treated as the defendants’ joint defence. In addition, the defendants shall be at liberty to file and serve their counterclaim within 7 days.
p. 1Final orders granting leave to file counterclaim and converting replying affidavit into defence
Although this matter was filed as an originating summons, there is no harm in the exhibited draft counterclaim being filed in the suit.
p. 1Counterclaim permissible notwithstanding originating summons mode of commencement
Counsel for the plaintifi has today submitted that the plaintifi no longer opposes the application dated 16/1/2026 and that the defendant may be granted leave to bring their counterclaim.
p. 1Plaintiff's withdrawal of opposition to the application

Issues in the judgment

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minor

The document is a brief procedural ruling/direction (two paragraphs) rather than a full judgment; the case number, parties' names, neutral citation and costs order are not stated, limiting the completeness of this brief.

Key timeline

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Practical implications

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Frequently asked questions

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Cite this brief

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Cite this brief

Caselaw, "Mwobobia v Gacheri & another (Land Case (Originating Summons) E013 of 2024) [2026] KEELC 782 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2026). Not stated in the judgment. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2026/782/eng@2026-02-12

Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.