Kenyan land system is defined by the Constitution of Kenya, the Land Registration Act and the Land Act. It is classified into:
- Public land - reserved for public use or environmental protection. It is administered and managed by National Land Commission on behalf of the people of Kenya.
- Community land - it is held by communities on basis of ethnicity, culture or similar community interest.
- Private land - this is land held by natural or legal persons. The Ministry of lands is tasked with the registration of any interest in private Land. It is classified into the following land tenure system;
- Freehold land tenure system - it gives the holder absolute ownership of the land for life. A freehold title deed generally has no restrictions as to the use and occupation of the land. However there are some conditional freeholds which may restrict the use of land for agricultural uses only.
- Leasehold land tenure system - this is the interest in land for a specific period of time subject to payment of land rent to the National government and land rates to the county governments. Once a lease expires the land reverts back to the owner or the leaseholder can apply for a renewal or extension of the lease.
Non citizens can hold leasehold land only for 99 years.