The High Court in Nairobi has certified as urgent a case seeking disclosure of details surrounding the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals SEZ project, giving the petition priority as the parties prepare their responses.
Justice David Mburu issued the directions on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the Milimani High Court after considering a notice of motion, supporting affidavit and petition filed by Francis Awino.
The case, listed as HCCHRPET/E674/2026, names the State Law Office, the National Land Commission and 16 other respondents and interested parties.
The court’s decision to certify the matter as urgent does not amount to a ruling on the substantive issues raised in the petition. Instead, it sets an expedited timetable for the parties to file their responses and submissions before the court considers the matter further.
Court sets expedited timetable
In its directions, the High Court stated that the matter “is certified urgent and will therefore be heard on priority basis.”
The court ordered that the application, petition and directions be physically served within two days, after which a return of service must be filed.
The respondents and interested parties have seven days from the date of service to file and serve their responses to the application and petition.
Awino has been allowed to file a rejoinder if necessary. If filed, the rejoinder must be accompanied by written submissions on the application and served within 14 days of receiving the responses from the respondents and interested parties.
The respondents and interested parties will then have 14 days after receiving the petitioner’s submissions to file and serve their own written submissions.
Petition still before court
The High Court has also allowed the petitioner to file supplementary submissions on points of law within seven days after receiving the submissions of the respondents and interested parties.
The directions establish a clear timetable for the early stages of the case but do not determine whether the disclosure sought by the petitioner will ultimately be ordered.
That distinction is significant because the court’s October 6 decision concerns the urgency and management of the proceedings, rather than the merits of the petition.
No finding of wrongdoing has been made against the State Law Office, the National Land Commission or any of the other parties named in the case.
The court document identifies Awino as the petitioner and lists the State Law Office and National Land Commission among the respondents. It does not, in the directions issued on October 6, set out findings against the respondents concerning the Dangote project.
November court date
Justice Mburu directed that the case be mentioned on November 12, 2026, to confirm compliance with the orders and take further directions.
The mention will allow the court to establish whether the parties have complied with the deadlines for service, responses and written submissions.
The urgent certification means the petition will move through those procedural stages on a priority basis.
The case puts the disclosure issues raised by Awino before the High Court while requiring the respondents and interested parties to formally state their positions within the timetable set by Justice Mburu.
For the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals SEZ project, the proceedings could bring greater public attention to the petition’s questions about the information the petitioner seeks from the relevant authorities.
However, those questions remain unresolved at this stage.
The High Court has not yet ruled on the petition’s substance, so the October 6 directions should be read as a procedural order accelerating the case, not a determination in favour of either side.
The next significant date is November 12, when the matter returns before the Milimani High Court for confirmation of compliance and further directions.
