NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 25 — Chief Justice Martha Koome has reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to upholding integrity and efficiency by intensifying efforts to improve case management amid public criticism over case delays and corruption.
Speaking during the 2025 Magistrates and Kadhis Colloquium on Tuesday, Koome stated that “justice cannot be for sale” and emphasized that the Judiciary will ensure court users are not subjected to unnecessary delays or administrative inefficiencies.
“Justice cannot be compromised for anything. That is why we are intensifying our focus on improving case management,” Koome added.
Acknowledging the heightened public scrutiny the Judiciary faces, Koome challenged judicial officers and judges to embrace this moment as an opportunity for reflection and reform.
“I want to state once again, unequivocally: the Judiciary is a corruption-free zone. We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, and we are determined to enforce it without fear or favour,” she declared.
To strengthen judicial integrity, Koome announced the rollout of Court Integrity Committees across all court stations.
The committees will serve as platforms for raising concerns, sharing observations, and addressing unethical behavior.
She urged judges to personally ensure that the committees are not only established but also fully functional at their respective court stations.
Complaints-based approach
Koome also launched the Justice Sector’s Anti-Corruption Strategic Guiding Framework, a sector-wide initiative aimed at uniting all justice actors in the fight against corruption.
“Our intention is to speak with one voice and act with one purpose to rid our institutions of unethical practices,” she said.
The Chief Justice revealed that the Judiciary is complementing its complaints-based approach with an intelligence-led model developed in collaboration with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
“This partnership allows us to proactively identify patterns, hotspots, and individuals engaging in corrupt practices, and to intervene early,” she explained.
Anti-corruption efforts have relied heavily on complaints filed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Office of the Judiciary Ombudsman, which Koome noted had limitations—prompting the shift to a proactive model.
Koome’s leadership has faced criticism over the timeliness, quality of service, and the integrity of some judicial officers, including petitions for tribunals to remove judges, even at the Supreme Court level, led by former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi.
In her keynote address, Koome also cautioned against scheduling hearings on days when the presiding officer is absent, noting that such practices fuel perceptions of inefficiency and disregard for court users.
She further discouraged frequent adjournments, warning that they erode public trust in the Judiciary.
“As judicial officers, we must ensure that we list only a manageable number of cases each day, guided by our capacity to hear and conclude them,” Koome stated, urging judges to avoid over-listing.
Additionally, Koome reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve justice delivery.
However, she emphasized that the success of digital systems depends on the willingness of judicial officers to embrace and effectively utilize them.
