This archive report was first published on 28 June 2021.
June 28, 2021, Nairobi, Kenya - In a bid to address the growing backlog of cases in Kenya's judiciary, Chief Justice Martha Koome has called for a bottom-up approach to deliver justice effectively and in an accountable manner.
Speaking at the second Annual Tribunals' Symposium in Mombasa, the CJ emphasized the importance of shared responsibility among all courts, from the lower courts to the Supreme Court, to ensure a uniform experience for litigants.
"What I envisage is shared responsibility by all the Magistrates, Kadhi's Courts, Tribunals, Superior courts all the way to the Apex Court. So that the experience a litigant should have before the Supreme Court should be the same across the board in all the courts and tribunals," Koome said.
As part of the bottom-up approach, the Judiciary is considering the introduction of after-hours court sessions to accelerate cases. "We hope to see innovations in time, which will include sitting even after hours between 5.00pm and 8.00pm. Some of the impediments we are talking about is why a court cannot sit, especially now with technology, between 5.00pm and 9.00pm," she said.
The CJ also highlighted the role of small claims courts in dispensing cases efficiently, with the aim of reducing the distance litigants travel to access justice and providing an expeditious procedure that ensures matters are finalized within 60 days.
