This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
Published on December 4, 2019, the Judiciary has announced plans to roll out small claims courts in 2020 to tackle the growing case backlog.
Appellate Judge Justice Daniel Musinga explained that these courts will be dedicated to handling civil cases worth Sh200,000 or less, aiming to resolve disputes within a day or at most three days.
Justice Musinga noted that the courts will be manned by experienced advocates, known as adjudicators, who will deal directly with the parties involved without the need for lawyers or advocates.
High Court Judge Stephen Githinji emphasized that the small claims courts will fast-track access to justice by being fast, simple, and inexpensive, targeting 150 cases in the high court and 50 in the lower courts.
Justice Musinga spoke during a consultative forum on the dispensation of justice in Uasin Gishu, where he highlighted the benefits of the small claims courts in reducing the backlog in the current judiciary system.
