This archive report was first published on 28 June 2021.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has unveiled a new approach to expedite the delivery of justice, with the Judiciary set to roll out night sittings in Commercial Courts and Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Courts.
Speaking at the 2nd Annual symposium for Tribunals in Mombasa on June 28, 2021, Koome said the institution is coming up with innovations to improve the efficiency of court sittings.
"We will begin by coming up with interventions and measures in consultation with all judicial officers," Koome said. "For instance, we are considering creating programmes that would ensure court sittings between 5.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m to enhance their performance and resolution of cases in real-time."
The new approach, dubbed the Bottom-Up approach, will allow court stations to innovate unique interventions such as their own case management systems to improve efficiency in service delivery.
"This means we will embrace shared leadership, meaning each judicial officer will be encouraged and supported to innovate and adopt measures to increase his or her efficiency in collaboration with the court users on the launch of a night shift," Koome said.
The Judiciary is also in the process of opening more small claims courts in low-income areas to reduce the distance litigants travel to access services, especially in cities.
Koome directed that no court case should stay in a trial court beyond a timeline of three years and an appellate court beyond one year.
