Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed a 25-member Standing Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms under the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) to spearhead criminal justice reforms in the country.
In a gazette notice dated November 21, Koome indicated that the committee will serve for a three-year term and will be responsible for driving policy, legal, and institutional recommendations to reinforce the criminal justice system in the country.
The committee, whose members have been drawn from the Judiciary as well as other key security departments, including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the National Police Service, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), among others, will be chaired by Justice Grace Ngenye.
Koome further noted that the committee shall be tasked with reviewing laws and policies that criminalise petty offences and making recommendations on their decriminalisation, among other responsibilities.
"Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of Kenya and section 35 of the Judicial Service Act, Cap. 8A, the Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya and the Chairperson of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) appoint the following members to the NCAJ Standing Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms for a period of three (3) years," Koome said.
Petty offences include hawking and street vending without a licence, being drunk and disorderly, idling, and littering. Spitting on a footpath, using a public toilet without paying, prostitution, or loitering with intent to commit prostitution and indecent exposure are also considered petty offences.
"The committee shall design mechanisms to ensure that Kenya's criminal justice system operates in a manner consistent and compliant with the provisions of the Constitution," she added.
The committee shall also be required to identify legal, institutional, administrative, and financial barriers that are hindering efficiency in the country's justice system, in addition to supporting inter-agency collaboration and cooperation.
"The committee shall formulate and review laws that would render effective administration of criminal justice in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution," the notice stated.
Additionally, Koome further made appointments to the Steering Committee on Mediation that will have the mandate of spearheading reforms that will promote alternative forms of dispute resolution, including mediation.
According to Koome, the 16-member committee shall serve on the committee for a period of five years.
The committee will be chaired by Justice Aggrey Otsyula Muchelule and includes representatives from the Environment and Land Court, the Employment and Labour Relations Court, the High Court, the Attorney General’s Office, the Law Society of Kenya, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Kenya Bankers Association, among others.
The committee, according to the CJ, shall have the responsibility of providing oversight for institutionalising mediation as a dispute resolution mechanism across the countries, as well as establishing mediation registries in all court stations.
