MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct 28 – The National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) has launched its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan which strengthens its coordinating mechanisms for improved access to justice, especially for vulnerable groups.
The Plan will enhance criminal justice sector reforms, support Court Users’ Committees to coordinate administration of justice at the local level, establish partnerships and stakeholder engagement mechanisms and establish a Roadmap to institutionalize the NCAJ as a statutory agency.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Justice, Martha Koome, who chairs the NCAJ, pointed out that the launch of the Strategic Plan coincided with the tenth anniversary of the Council.
“Among the notable achievements of the previous decade include strengthening of Court Users’ Committees, leveraging of technology, increasing access to justice for children, decongesting places of detention, addressing administrative bottlenecks in management of traffic matters, coordinated multi agency response to illicit trade and rapid response to COVID-19,” the Chief Justice elaborated.
In the coming years, NCAJ aims to enhance criminal justice reforms, adopt an approach to justice that is sensitive to the special needs of children and other vulnerable groups, strengthen Court Users’ Committees and invest in a monitoring and evaluation framework that provides accurate information on issues within the justice sector.
NCAJ is established under Section 34 of the Judicial Service Act and has the mandate to ensure a coordinated, efficient, effective, and consultative approach in the administration and reforms of the justice system.
Chief Justice Koome said the COVID-19 pandemic had compelled the justice sector to be innovative in its response to ensure that all Kenyans continued to access justice.
“This period has underscored the importance of a collaborative approach. It is important that this momentum is maintained,” Chief Justice Koome added.
The Strategic Plan recognises that all agencies in the justice sector have distinct mandates and underscores that the justice chain can only operate at optimum efficiency and effectiveness through sustained collaboration and strengthened capacity.
During the meeting, NCAJ launched several publications on Guidelines on Sexual Gender-Based Violence Case management, Protection and Care Form, Children Court Practice Directions, Standard Operating Procedures on Child Protection Units, Policy on Continuous Professional Development and the Curriculum on Child Care.
Also showcased was the Protection-Protection officers and Facilitation Manual, Status Report on Children in the Justice System in Kenya, Law and Practice Guidelines on Arrest and Conditions of Pre-trial Detention in Kenya, Law and practice Guidelines on the Management of Petty Offenders, and The Fair Trial Guide and Check list.
In addition, NCAJ unveiled the Report on the Status of Persons with Mental illness in the Criminal Justice System, The Report on the Status of Intersex Persons in the Criminal Justice System and the Baseline Survey on State Regulated Offences.
“These publications add to the body of knowledge and provide a rich reference to all actors in the sector,” Chief Justice Koome added.
Speaking at the event the European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger said the NCAJ’s Strategic Plan was an exemplary of commitment to change, improved service delivery and justice reform.
“This change initiative is directly linked to the Agenda 2030 and the sixteenth Sustainable Development Goal on the promotion of peace, justice and strong institutions.”
She however said the work was far from over.
“What lies ahead is a road more arduous, more trying, more difficult. It is the path to the full implementation of the reform priorities articulated in this plan.”
She said the European Union was proud to have supported the NCAJ’s transformative vision through the Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery in Kenya (PLEAD) and remains committed to strengthen the NCAJ in its mandate.
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