This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
Published on December 20, 2019, the Judiciary has suspended all Court of Appeal sittings outside Nairobi due to a shortage of judges.
The number of Appellate judges has shrunk to a worrying level due to retirement, appointment to other offices, and the recent death of Prof Justice Otieno Odek.
According to a statement by Court of Appeal president William Ouko, the sittings in Kisumu, Malindi, and Mombasa will be suspended beginning January 13 until such a time that other judges will be appointed to fill the gap.
“With passage time, the Court of Appeal judges number has shrunk from 27 to 15 today following retirement of several Judges, appointment of others to (other) higher Government offices, and this week, the sudden death of Justice Odek,” read the statement.
The Judges in Mombasa and Kisumu will relocate to Nairobi with effect from that date.
The affected court stations, including Nyeri, will be served from Nairobi through circuit sessions conducted once a month to each station.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has declined to appoint some of the Appellate judges nominated by Judicial Service Commission over integrity issues.
