This archive report was first published on 14 July 2020.
On July 14, 2020, Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi announced plans to recruit 50 additional magistrates to address the backlog of court cases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The recruitment drive is set to begin next month, with the vacancies to be advertised during that time.
Ms Amadi made the announcement during a visit to the new High Court premises at the Kakamega Law Courts, where she also highlighted the Judiciary's efforts to improve infrastructure and enhance service delivery in the Western region.
The Sh388 million facility is part of the Judiciary's projects aimed at improving the judicial system.
Ms Amadi expressed confidence that the Judiciary will continue to improve services and enhance access to justice, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
She also emphasized the importance of upscaling virtual hearings to limit physical hearings and contain the spread of the coronavirus.
According to Siaya presiding judge Roseline Aburili, the High Court in Siaya has seen a significant increase in the number of cases filed, with 438 criminal cases and 129 civil cases filed in the year 2018/19.
However, the court has also made significant progress in resolving cases, with 315 criminal cases and 105 civil cases resolved during the same period.
