NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 16 – Chief Justice of the High Court Martha Koome has said that the judiciary will embark on the process to reform registry operations in a bid to monitor all files in courts across the country.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday during the launch her vision of social transformation through access and the Performance Management and Measurement Understandings Report (PMMU) 2019/2020, Koome said the move is aimed at improving efficiency of courts.
Koome stated that in a bid to ensure the Courts and Tribunals become “centers of excellence,” the Judiciary’s efforts will be focused on implementing strategies and innovations geared towards eliminating case delays and backlog.
“This will involve the embrace of active case management, Judges and Judicial Officers overseeing the cases under their dockets, 14 reforming the operations of our registries to ensure that all files are monitored so that they don’t stay inactive in the registries, reforming our court practices so that the practice of adjournment of scheduled proceedings is eliminated, and the enhancement of the place of technology in our operations,” she said.
The Chief Justice said that the maim aim of the vision to ensure the efficiency of the Judiciary delivery of services running from the Magistrates’ and Khadhi’s Courts, Tribunals, superior courts all the way to the Apex Court.
CJ Koome further said that they will seek to improve the work environment for judges to give them an ample working environment while delivering justice.
“We will also seek to improve the work environment to ensure that Judges, Judicial officers, staff and members of the Tribunals, operate in an enabling environment that supports optimal performance and improves litigants’ experiences,” she said.
The Chief Justice further said that the Judiciary will also focus on infrastructure development, with particular emphasis on establishing a State-of-the-Art Supreme Court Headquarters, and a modern Judicial Training Academy.
Koome added that she will also aim to establish Mediation Suites in every Court Station to support alternative dispute resolution and a Tribunals Plaza to coordinate the operations of Tribunals across the country as part of the infrastructure program.
The Chief Justice thanked the Executive and Legislative Arms of Government for their support to the judiciary in delivering social transformation through access to justice.
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, Deputy Speaker of the Senate Margaret Kamar, Senator Jennifer Shamalla and Justice Agnes Murgor, the Chairperson of Administration of Justice and Performance Management Committee.
