This archive report was first published on 29 August 2019.
On August 29, 2019, Chief Justice David Maraga urged Kenyans to use alternative dispute resolution to expedite land and succession matters, citing a backlog of cases in many counties.
Speaking at the official opening of Ruiru Law Courts, Justice Maraga noted that the Judicial Service Commission had recently recruited 20 Environment and Land Court judges, but this was just a drop in the ocean compared to the needs of the people.
He emphasized that the Judiciary plans to build at least one court in each sub-county in the country and called on advocates to play their role by avoiding numerous adjournments.
Justice Maraga also urged the National Government to allocate Judiciary resources to enable it to deliver the much-needed court services.
Local leaders, led by area MP Simon King'ara, had requested that an Environment and Land Court judge be posted to the new court, citing the increasing prices of land and expansion of Ruiru as a commercial hub, which had led to an escalation of land-related disputes.
Mr. King'ara lauded the establishment of Ruiru Court, saying its presence would boost investor confidence due to the assurance that any emerging disputes would be resolved expeditiously.
Speaking at the same function, JSC vice chair Mercy Deche underscored the importance of not only the Judiciary's independence but also its interdependence with other arms of government.
She noted that Ruiru Law Courts was a product of such interdependence, as it was fully funded by the national CDF kitty.
The court had opened its doors to the public in April 2019 and had already heard 2,683 cases out of 3,397 filed at the station.
