Inheritance disputes tear families apart and drag on for years in court. There is a faster, fairer, and less painful way — grounded in Kenya's own Constitution.
Yet that is what thousands of Kenyan families face every year. Land stuck. Bank accounts frozen. Siblings not speaking. Legal fees eating away at what your parent or grandparent spent a lifetime building. If any of these feel familiar, you are not alone.
Our father died two years ago. We still cannot access the land. The court keeps postponing.
My siblings and I are fighting. The lawyers are the only ones getting paid. The estate is shrinking.
We did not know there was any other way. Nobody told us we had a choice.
If you are asking any of these questions, you have come to the right place.
Our parent died and left land and property. How do we divide it fairly without going to court?
The probate case has been going on for three years. Is there any way to speed this up?
One of my siblings is refusing to cooperate. Can the estate still be divided without their agreement?
Our parent did not leave a will. How is the inheritance decided under our customary law?
The bank is refusing to release the estate account. What can we do?
We cannot afford expensive legal fees. Is there help available?
We want to resolve this without destroying our family relationships. Is that possible?
Our advocate only talks about going to court. Are there other options we should know about?
Kenya's probate courts are overwhelmed. A contested inheritance case does not resolve in months — it resolves in years. Sometimes in decades. During all that time, your family's estate is not protected. It is exposed.
Land may be encroached upon. A family business may stall or be mismanaged. Bank accounts sit frozen while legal fees accumulate on both sides. Assets that should pass from one generation to the next are instead consumed by the process meant to transfer them.
And beyond the financial cost, there is a human one. Families that enter court proceedings as grieving relatives frequently emerge from them as permanent adversaries. The damage to relationships outlasts the legal process by many years.
This does not have to happen to your family. The Constitution of Kenya provides another way — and Aluochier Dispute Resolution has built the framework to make that way accessible.
AISTAR — the Aluochier Independent Succession Tribunals Administrative Rules — is a dispute resolution framework designed specifically for Kenyan families facing inheritance and succession disputes. It is grounded in the Constitution of Kenya and provides a complete alternative to the court process.
Complete our simple intake form or call our business line. We review your matter and explain your options — at no obligation.
A case file is opened. All parties and relevant institutions — banks, land registries, companies — are formally notified and given the opportunity to participate.
Your matter is heard and determined by a specialist succession arbitrator or adjudicator, on a defined timetable — not at the court's convenience.
Banks, registries, and companies that received pre-decision notice are bound by the outcome. Titles transfer. Accounts release. The estate is administered.
Whether your family's inheritance involves a will or no will, urban or rural property, or deeply rooted community traditions — AISTAR has a pathway for you. Kenya's Law of Succession Act applies to all Kenyan families, and AISTAR applies it in a way that respects your community's context.
Where siblings, spouses, or other relatives dispute the validity or interpretation of a will, or the fairness of the distribution it directs.
Where the deceased left no will and the family is in dispute about who is entitled to the land, property, business, or other assets — including under customary law.
Where land title, boundaries, or entitlement is in dispute between beneficiaries, and the family needs a binding determination to enable title transfer.
Where a beneficiary, administrator, or executor refuses to engage — AISTAR's adjudication pathway resolves the matter without requiring everyone's consent.
Where your family's inheritance is shaped by the customs and traditions of your community — Luo, Luhya, Kikuyu, Kamba, Kalenjin, Mijikenda, or any other — AISTAR conducts proceedings that hear customary evidence, admit elder testimony, and respect your community's context. Kenya's Law of Succession Act remains the governing law, but your traditions inform how it is applied to your family's specific circumstances.
Where the estate includes a family business, company shares, or other commercial interests that need to be transferred or divided among beneficiaries.
| What matters to your family | High Court probate process | AISTAR framework |
|---|---|---|
| How long it takes | 5 to 10+ years for contested matters | Defined timetable from the outset — maximum 132 days post-determination |
| What it costs | Accumulating legal fees on all sides, paid throughout the process | Known fees from the outset; can be paid from estate assets or through legal aid |
| What happens if one party refuses | Further delays, applications, enforcement proceedings | Adjudication pathway proceeds without requiring that party's consent |
| Whether the hearing is public | Default public hearing under the Constitution | Conducted with discretion; subject to the same constitutional framework |
| What happens to the estate during the process | Frozen or at risk of mismanagement for the duration | Faster resolution means less exposure and less estate deterioration |
| Whether community traditions are respected | Court process can feel formal and distant from community traditions | AISTAR admits elder testimony and customary evidence, and respects community context — while applying Kenya's Law of Succession Act |
| Effect on family relationships | Adversarial process frequently causes permanent damage | Less adversarial structure; faster resolution means less time for damage to accumulate |
| Enforceability of outcome | Judgment enforceable but subject to appeal at multiple levels | Final and binding; institutions notified in advance are bound from the outset |
Three publications from Isaac Aluochier S.Arb, S.Adj, FCIArb — written from active practice — that give families and their advocates the knowledge to navigate succession disputes confidently.
The foundational text on arbitration in Kenya's constitutional framework — explaining how and why disputes can be resolved outside the court system, and on what constitutional authority.
Free of Charge Download Free →The specialist practitioner text on succession arbitration in Kenya — covering jurisdiction, procedure, customary law, and enforcement of succession arbitral awards.
Available at Shop Get a Copy →The definitive guide to succession dispute resolution beyond the probate process — written for families, administrators, and practitioners seeking a comprehensive, practical framework.
Launching Shortly Visit Shop →Complete our simple intake form and we will review your matter and respond within 48 hours. There is no obligation, and your information is held in strict confidence. Or call or WhatsApp us directly — we are here.
Complete the Intake Form →Submission of the intake form does not create a legal relationship. All enquiries are treated with complete confidentiality.