By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
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Kenya, June 15, 2026 - Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has appointed a special task force to spearhead the institutional transformation of the Public Trustee Department, aimed at improving efficiency in the administration of estates and succession matters.
In a gazette notice, Oduor said that the task force, which will be chaired by Linda Murima, will comprise legal, governance, and public administration experts who will be tasked with developing a blueprint to transform the department into an efficient institution.
Other members of the task force will include Rose Mbanya, Evans Obote, Peter Kimaile, Nilfat Kassim Ali, Elijah Ambasa, Areba Omwoyo Samba, Dr Florence Muinde, and Rebecca Lomong. Naaman Geda and Mohammed Shuriye will serve as joint secretaries.
The Public Trustee Department is an office within the Attorney General's Department that manages the estates of deceased persons and administers trusts. It acts as an impartial administrator, identifying assets, paying debts, and distributing inheritance—particularly when no private executor is available—to protect beneficiaries, including orphans and widows.
The task force will serve for an initial period of four months from June 12, 2026, with the possibility of an extension through a subsequent gazette notice, according to the AG.
Oduor has noted that the task force will be required to conduct a rapid results initiative exercise on all Public Trustee files at the headquarters and regional offices to establish the current caseloads, identify bottlenecks delaying cases, and recommend measures to ensure that the cases are resolved.
The task force will also be required to conduct a comprehensive audit of the current structure of the Public Trustee Department, as well as develop a legal framework for the incorporation of the Trustee Department.
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Furthermore, it will be mandated to propose a suitable governance model, including the board structure, management hierarchy, and accountability mechanisms aligned with Government Owned Enterprises standards.
The task force will also be required to design financial and asset transfer protocols and recommend human resource restructuring, staff absorption, capacity building, and pension alignments.
"The terms of reference of the task force shall be to formulate a detailed roadmap for the transition of the Public Trustee Department with timelines, key milestones, and risk mitigation measures, and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting indicators," the notice read.
Other key responsibilities include reviewing and proposing necessary reforms of the Law of Succession Act, designing suitable stakeholder engagement, communication, and change management strategies for the Public Trustee Department, among others.
The chairperson of the task force shall be required to convene the first meeting of the task force within 14 days of the notice. The secretariat of the task force shall be domiciled at the Office of the AG, and the expenses of the team shall be covered out of the voted funds of the Office of the AG.