A General Power of Attorney (Form LRA 5) is a legal instrument used in Kenya to authorize another person (the attorney or donee) to act on behalf of a property owner (the donor) in relation to their interest in registered land. This jurisdiction-specific document is prescribed under the Land Registration Act and the Land Registration (General) Regulations, 2017, specifically Rule 17. It grants comprehensive powers to the appointed attorney to perform any legal acts, execute instruments, and conduct transactions concerning the donor's land title that the donor themselves could lawfully perform.
This form is intended for registered land owners, title holders, property investors, overseas property owners, elderly or incapacitated landowners, corporate entities, estate administrators, and individuals who need to delegate authority over their land matters to a trusted representative. It is particularly useful for property owners who are traveling abroad, residing overseas, physically unable to attend to land transactions personally, managing multiple properties, or requiring professional assistance with complex land dealings such as sales, transfers, leases, mortgages, subdivisions, or other land registry matters.
The General Power of Attorney requires detailed information from both the donor and the donee. Key details include the specific title number of the property in question, the date of the instrument, and comprehensive particulars of both parties including full names, registration numbers if applicable, postal addresses, addresses for service, telephone numbers, email addresses, identification or passport numbers, and PIN numbers. Both donor and donee must attach passport-size colored photographs to the document for identification purposes.
The instrument must be executed as a deed with proper formalities. Both the donor and donee must sign and seal the document in the presence of witnesses, and their signatures must be verified through a Certificate of Verification by an authorized person such as an advocate, magistrate, or commissioner for oaths. The certifying officer confirms that the parties appeared before them, were properly identified, acknowledged their signatures voluntarily, and understood the document's contents and implications.
Once properly executed and verified, the General Power of Attorney must be registered in the Register of Powers of Attorney at the Land Registry, where it receives an official registration number, date stamp, and the Land Registrar's signature and seal. This registration makes the power of attorney legally binding and enforceable, enabling the attorney to act with full legal authority on behalf of the donor in all land-related matters covered by the instrument within Kenya's land registration system.