The Kericho Law Courts have joined 23 other judicial stations in the country to roll out the Court Annexed Mediation (CAM) program, a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution, whereby cases that are brought to Court for litigation are referred to mediation for possible settlement.
Launching the programme, Kericho Presiding, Judge Justice Asenath Ongeri, said the mediation program is expected to aid speedy resolution of disputes and reduce the backlog court of cases.
Justice Ongeri further said the introduction of CAM in 2016 resulted in a significant reduction in case backlog, while at the same time unlocking billions of shillings to the economy.
“The Court Annexed Mediation will provide an alternative avenue, where if the court finds it fit or where parties agree, such cases may be referred for a mediation-resolution process where a court-appointed expert, also known as a mediator, will facilitate an amicable resolution of the dispute,” she said.
The Presiding Judge was flanked by her Bomet Law Courts counterpart, Justice Roseline Korir and Law Society of Kenya representatives, who also expressed optimism that the CAM will be a great success as an alternative to dispute resolution.
During the function held in Kericho, Justice Ongeri also unveiled the Court Annexed Mediation presided registry.
Meanwhile, the Kericho Deputy Governor, Lily Ng’ok, who graced the event advocated for the adaption of mediation in resolving disputes, noting that it was less costly in terms of time and resources and helped in restoring broken relationships amicably.
“I believe residents seeking justice on various disputes will benefit greatly from the Court Annexed Mediation and we thank the Judiciary for launching the program in our County,” said the Deputy Governor.
Mediation is recognized in Article 48 of the Constitution of Kenya (2010), as one of the ways through which access to justice is promoted.
The Court Annexed Mediation (CAM) was first implemented in Kenya in April 2016 at the Commercial and Family Divisions of the Court.
By Kibe Mburu
