Chief Justice, Martha Karambu Koome, has declared part of the Supreme Court building unsafe for use by the Judges and other staff after holding consultations with an architect.
Speaking during Kenya Judiciary Academy (KJA) Annual Judges Colloquium in Mombasa on Wednesday, April 6, Koome disclosed that the ablution block is not safe for use.
The Chief Justice added that an architect from the Netherlands informed her that the Supreme Court building roof is caving in.
"I have brought several local experts to look at it and tell us the problem. When they come, they look at it and run away without telling us what is wrong. Until I met with a pastor who is an architect in the Netherlands, a man of God who told us the truth that part of the building had been condemned and the roof was caving in and is not safe for habitation," she noted.
She, however, explained that the Judiciary has laid down a plan to roll out an infrastructure vision that will see the Apex Court get a new look. The team working on the new master plan is led by Justice William Ouko and its implementation will be complete in the next 10 years.
The country's first female Chief Justice added that she is working with stakeholders to ensure that Judges are accorded a conducive work environment.
The Supreme Court building was built between 1932 to 1934 by Sir Herbert Baker, who also built State House and Nairobi School. He styled it with neoclassical features and materials making it iconic such that Africans were not allowed in at the time.
This is not the first time the Judiciary has raised questions on some of its infrastructure.
In November 2021, Court of Appeal Judges refused to occupy Elgon Place, a seven-storey building, arguing that it posed serious health hazards.
This was despite the Judiciary spending Ksh70 million to rent the offices in the building that sits on 0.26 hectares located along Elgon Road at the junction with Upper Hill Road.
In 2017, Chief Justice (Rtd) Willy Mutunga refused to occupy the lavish Ksh310 million house located in the upmarket estate of Runda that is meant for the Chief Justice.
The official residence of the Chief Justice of Kenya was shrouded with a lot of controversies and logistical issues, compelling even Mutunga's successor, David Maraga, to reject an offer to live in the house.
“There are few cases. I mean a case going on in court and there are few issues that are being sorted out and as soon as that is done, I will move in very fast," Maraga stated at the time.
“Don't give the public the impression that we are refusing to go in, it's the legal issues involved with that house."
