The Judiciary plans to construct modern courts in each Sub County in an effort to handle cases expeditiously and speed up the judicial process.
Chief Justice David Maraga said talks with the government to have the Judiciary budgetary allocation increased has been so as to have enough funds to not only improve the judicial process but also to increase the number of courts in the country.
Speaking in Ruiru town, Kiambu County after opening a CDF-funded Law Court on Wednesday, the CJ said the Judiciary is committed to ensuring that cases were handled expeditiously by bringing justice closer to the people.
“No country will progress in terms of development if cases drag for more than 10 years. People need expeditious determination of their cases so that they can handle the situation as at how it comes,” he said.
He called on advocates top play their role by avoiding numerous adjournments saying in most cases, lawyers represent several clients thus end up postponing cases to dates that suit their schedules.
He said even at times when judges and magistrates were ready to have cases proceed, lawyers were frustrating such efforts.
“Why take cases that you can’t handle? Take enough and expedite them to determination rather than loading yourself with thousands of cases that you can’t handle. This is frustrating even to judicial officers,” he said.
He also called on litigants to use alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to solve land and succession cases, saying chiefs and their assistants should aid in the process. He said in many counties that he visited, land cases were far too many, causing backlog.
Ruiru MP Simon King’ara called on the Judiciary to consider deploying a Judge at the court to take over appeal cases.
He said the court would boost investor’s confidence as well as resolve the many disputes reported in the area.
The law court opened its doors in April and to date has presided over about 3,400 cases, most of them related to traffic and civil matters.
Out of these, 2,700 have been heard and determined. It has generated Sh10 million in revenue over the said period.
“You need to support this court now as we plan on how to expand it,” said Maraga.
The court will help decongest the Thika, Kiambu and Gatundu courts, in a constituency of close to 800,000 people.
By Muoki Charles
