The Judiciary on Wednesday, May 10, dismissed reports that cases in the Employment and Labour Relations Courts were suspended after a judge fell ill.
In a notice issued by the Registrar of Employment and Labour Relations Court, Kennedy Kandet, the third arm of government, insisted that all cases under the Employment and Labour Relations Court were still being heard.
The judiciary, which Chief Justice Martha Koome heads, indicated that a judge who was taken ill was based in Kisumu and had proceeded to a two-week recovery leave.
"The Presiding Judge of the ELRC in Kisumu was taken ill and is on sick leave for two weeks and is recovering well. Notwithstanding the Honourable Judge's absence, all matters listed for hearing continue to be assigned new dates," Judiciary announced.
"All matters filed under Certificate of Urgency are being heard by Judges sitting in Nairobi using the Virtual Court platform ", the notice added," it further added.
Thus, the institution allayed fears that her illness had paralysed justice delivery in the country's Employment and Labour Relations Courts.
"All Employment and Labour Relations Courts ( ELRC) around the country, including at Kisumu, continue to dispense justice to all," Judiciary indicated.
Addressing her absence in Kisumu, Judiciary promised to send another judge to handle emergency services relating to the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
"The Judiciary assures the public that the Employment and Labour Relations Court and indeed all Courts across the country continue to dispense justice in accordance with the Constitution," Kandet maintained.
The clarification came amid a move by the judiciary to scale up access to justice in various parts of the country. Among the new strategies adopted by Koome included setting up small claims courts in the country.
Additionally, the Judiciary also embarked on a sensitisation exercise in advocating for different ways of addressing conflicts.
