Chief Justice Martha Koome has commended the Vihiga High Court Station, located in Vihiga County, for recording the lowest instances of case adjournments.
Koome, who spoke during the Annual High Court Leaders Conference in Mombasa on Thursday, April 17, said the court in Vihiga demonstrated that efficient justice was achievable through intentional leadership.
While addressing concerns raised by Kenyans about case backlogs and delayed judgments, Koome directed judicial officers to emulate the Vihiga High Court and act with urgency to reclaim the trust of Kenyans.
She noted that the responsibility for judicial reforms did not lie with her alone, but rather with each judge and registrar across the court system.
The Chief Justice further called upon courts with higher adjournment rates to work with their Court Users Committees to improve service delivery.
Koome also urged all court stations to implement the “No Adjournment Policy” and expeditiously resolve long-standing cases, particularly in family, succession, and commercial matters.
She similarly proposed Rapid Results Initiatives (RRIs) targeting long-standing cases, with a special focus on uncontested succession cases, terming the delays “unjustifiable.”
Further, she reiterated the statutory requirement for delivering judgments within 60 days after hearings, calling on judges to adopt effective case management practices to end the trend of long-pending judgments.
The Chief Justice also reminded presiding judges of their critical supervisory roles over subordinate courts, noting that grassroots courts are often the face of justice for most Kenyans.
"Kenyans want to see a Judiciary that is people-centred, efficient, ethical, and committed to delivering justice without delay," the CJ commented.
During the annual conference, Koome sent a stern warning to brokers and impostors allegedly operating within court premises to interfere with judicial processes.
She noted that the presence of brokers and impostors within the courts was a common practice, which she claimed tainted the image of the Judiciary.
To eliminate such vices, Koome announced the Judiciary’s ongoing collaboration with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to root out such elements and safeguard the integrity of judicial spaces.
In addition, she encouraged members of the public to utilise the Court Integrity Committees and the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) framework to curb corruption involving judicial officers.
