The Judiciary Leadership Team (JLT) has announced that the Judiciary flag will fly at half-mast across all court stations until Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti is laid to rest.
Kivuti was shot and fatally wounded by a police officer on June 13, 2024, while holding an active court session at the Makadara Law Courts.
Chief Justice Martha Koome said that following the demise of Magistrate Kivuti, JLT has declared Tuesday, June 18, 2024, a day of mourning for the entire Judiciary in solidarity with Kivuti’s family, friends, and colleagues, as well as all Judges, judicial officers, and staff who have been deeply affected by the tragedy.
“No court will sit on this day. Matters that had been listed on Tuesday across all courts and tribunals will be accommodated in the court diaries on a priority basis,” CJ Koome said.
Following the death of the Principal Magistrate on Friday 14 at midnight, the Chief Justice called a special session of the Judiciary Leadership Team, which brings together the leadership of all five Superior Courts, the Magistracy, Kadhis Courts, Tribunals, the Magistrates and Judges Association, and the Judicial Staff Association, to deliberate on the matter of Kivuti’s murder and the continuing threat to the lives of Judges, judicial officers, and staff in the course of their duties.
She noted that this tragic incident had exposed and amplified the Judiciary’s long-held security concerns.
In a press statement sent to newsrooms, CJ Koome announced that JLT has recommended that Presiding Judges and heads of stations will lead remembrance meetings in common rooms in all court stations across the country on Tuesday, 18th, at 10 a.m.
Koome added, “The remembrance meeting is to allow Judges, Judicial officers, and staff to commemorate the life of Kivuti and to commiserate with the family and one another. Courts in Nairobi will convene at Makadara and Milimani Law Courts.”
She said Makadara Law Courts will remain closed until Monday, June 24, 2024, to allow dismantling of the makeshift court structures and reorganisation for security reasons, and the Judiciary Administration will work day and night to complete the prefabs at Makadara Law Courts.
Koome added that all the affected matters listed before Makadara Law Courts next week will be mentioned before Milimani Law Courts.
She noted at the same time that Judicial officers and staff at the Makadara Law Courts will continue to receive psychosocial support to cope with this devastating incident and called upon professional medical and psychological counselling entities to provide complimentary psychosocial support to Judiciary members and affected court users/justice actors across the country.
The CJ assured that the Judiciary administrative units will work on boosting security across all court stations using available resources, adding that the Judiciary leadership will also engage the Executive and Parliament on additional resources to support the implementation of past recommendations touching on security in the Judiciary.
“This is a matter that has been discussed repeatedly with the concerned agencies for many years,” she stated.
CJ Koome called upon the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Office of Inspector General of Police to deploy additional officers to reinforce and complement officers in the Judiciary Police Unit.
“The Ministry and Office of Inspector General of Police should also reorganise the Judiciary Police Unit into a fully-fledged police unit under the leadership of a senior commanding officer with a fully functional secretariat,” emphasised Koome.
A judiciary funeral committee was appointed to organise the sendoff and includes, Caroline Kabucho, Registrar Magistrates Courts (Chairing), Tito Gesora, Head of Station, Makadara Law Courts, Faith Muguongo, Office of the Chief Justice, Dr. Masha Baraza, Office of the Deputy Chief Justice, Rhoda Yator, Vice President of the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association, Boru Wako, President of the Kenya Judiciary Staff, and Catherine Wambui, Deputy Director, Public Affairs and Communication.
JLT reassured the judges, judicial officers, and staff that it is aware of the security concerns that they continually face in the dispensation of justice and is taking the necessary measures to address their concerns.
“In our mourning, the JLT sends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and relatives of Kivuti, and we pray that the Almighty provides you with peace, grace, and fortitude to bear this loss,” said the statement.
Koome visited Kivuti, who was admitted to the Nairobi Hospital, alongside CJ Emeritus David Maraga, President of the Court of Appeal Daniel Musinga, JSC Commissioners Evelyn Olwande and Caroline Nzilani, and Chief Registrar Winfridah Mokaya on Friday, June 14, 2024, at 12 p.m., where they were briefed about her condition by the medical personnel attending to her.
“At about midnight on June 14, 2024, I received the heartbreaking news that despite their best efforts and our collective prayers, Magistrate Kivuti had succumbed to the extensive injuries sustained during the attack,” she said.
She said the JLT pays tribute to the medical personnel at the Metropolitan Hospital and the Nairobi Hospital who did everything possible to save the life of Magistrate Kivuti.
“We also commend the doctors and staff of Nairobi West Hospital, where the gallant officers who were injured while responding to the attack are receiving treatment,” stated Koome, and wished the valiant officers who responded to the attack a quick and full recovery.
By Bernadette Khaduli
