Kenyan Court’s Urgent Action to Address Case Delays
Chief Justice Martha Koome has praised the Vihiga High Court Station, located in Vihiga County, for its exceptional performance in minimizing case adjournments.
This acknowledgment came during the Annual High Court Leaders Conference in Mombasa on Thursday, April 17.
Koome highlighted that the Vihiga court has shown that efficient justice is possible when there is focused and intentional leadership.
During her address, Koome responded to concerns raised by Kenyans regarding the backlog of cases and the delays in delivering judgments.
She urged judicial officers to take inspiration from the Vihiga High Court and act with greater urgency to restore the public’s trust in the justice system.
Koome emphasized that the responsibility for judicial reforms does not rest solely with her but with every judge and registrar within the court system.
The Chief Justice also encouraged courts with higher rates of adjournments to work closely with their Court Users Committees to improve service delivery.
She reiterated the importance of implementing a “No Adjournment Policy” across all court stations, focusing on the swift resolution of long-standing cases, especially in sensitive areas such as family, succession, and commercial matters.
Furthermore, Koome proposed the introduction of Rapid Results Initiatives (RRIs) to address long-pending cases, particularly those involving uncontested succession matters, which she described as “unjustifiable delays.”
She also emphasized the legal requirement for delivering judgments within 60 days after hearings, urging judges to adopt more effective case management strategies to avoid the accumulation of overdue judgments.
Koome reminded presiding judges of their crucial role in supervising subordinate courts, highlighting that these grassroots courts often serve as the primary point of access to justice for many Kenyans.
She stressed that Kenyans are eager to see a judiciary that is efficient, ethical, and responsive, one that is dedicated to delivering justice without unnecessary delays.
During her speech, the Chief Justice also issued a strong warning against brokers and impostors operating within court premises, accusing them of interfering with judicial processes.
She pointed out that such practices have been prevalent and have tarnished the reputation of the Judiciary.
To combat these issues, Koome announced that the Judiciary is working with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to root out these corrupt elements and protect the integrity of the courts.
In addition to this, Koome encouraged the public to actively engage with the Court Integrity Committees and the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) framework, which have been established to help address and prevent corruption involving judicial officers.
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