JSC posts nine magistrates to Coast after protests by local lawyers

Chief Registrar of Judiciary Anne Amadi

MOMBASA: Nine new magistrates and a deputy registrar have been posted to the Coast following a public outcry over shortage of judicial officers in the region, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has announced.

On Monday, the Mombasa branch of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) accused Chief Justice Willy Mutunga of marginalising the region by not posting enough judges and magistrates while retaining a huge number in Nairobi. LSK threatened to press for Dr Mutunga's removal if JSC did not bring new magistrates and judges in a fortnight.

The lawyers said key areas like environment and land division lacked adequate judicial officials despite the many cases in the region. They also complained that most judges and magistrates transferred from the region had not been replaced.

However, JSC dismissed the marginalisation claims and announced it had deployed a Principal and a Resident Magistrate to Mombasa, promising to deploy three new magistrates to the Admiralty Division in the region.

DEFEND TRANSFERS

JSC also said in a statement that two Senior Principal Magistrates had been posted to Kwale and Shanzu and a Principal Magistrate to Lamu. They did not however give the names but indicated the officers will report in two weeks' time. The commission also defended recent transfers of judges and magistrates from the Coast, saying many had stayed in these stations for up to 30 years and formed cartels.

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi admitted staff training schedules may have disrupted court activities, but refuted claims that Mombasa had been marginalised.

"It is incorrect to allege discrimination when one considers that Mombasa has five judges with a caseload of 10,423 matters, while the Milimani High Court Civil Division alone has five judges dealing with a caseload of 32,000 matters," said Amadi.