NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 11 – The National Council on the Administration of Justice was officially launched on Thursday in line with the on going reforms in the dispensation of justice by the Judiciary.
The council is mandated by Section 34 of the Judicial Service Act to ensure a coordinated, efficient and consultative approach in the administration of reforms in the Judiciary.
Under the first mandate, the council is expected to formulate policies relating to the administration of justice, implement, monitor, evaluate and review strategies for the administration of justice, facilitate the establishment of court user committees at the county level and mobilising resources to foster efficiency.
The council is further mandated to develop institutional linkages with court users’ committees whose reports it is mandated to review and implement.
The council is also expected to develop institutional linkage with the Governance Justice Law and Order Sector Reform Programme (GJLOS-RP) that was launched by the government in 2003 to draw lessons in inter-agency coordination and to articulate for strategic partnerships in the incoming phase of the GJLOS-RP.
Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza who presided over the official launch at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre assured that the new leadership of the Judiciary will consolidate the reforms programs to make the dispensation of justice better and efficient.
“We must build upon and consolidate institutional arrangements which will provide leadership develop, oversee and nature these values (in reforms) and position the Judiciary to claim its position in our constitutional order,” she said.
“As such we have established an internal management committee that will be replicated in the counties and ultimately the court stations,” she added.
Ms Baraza also assured of the Judiciary’s commitment to partner with the other players in the justice law and order sector.
“We must develop partnerships to ensure that we are accountable and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders and the people of Kenya,” she assured.
“The design, implementation and monitoring of the Judiciary transformation programs must be people centered with activities, indicators and output that speak to their needs,” she added.
The council which will be chaired by the Chief Justice comprises the Minister for Justice, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Inspector General of the National Police Service, the chairman of the Law Society of Kenya, representatives of NGO’s dealing with human rights and the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary.
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