Njuri Ncheke Council of elders Secretary-General Emeritus Phares Ruteere (left), Secretary-General (operations) Josphat Murangiri and Secretary-General (programmes) Washington Muthamia) and other elders. The council has formed a 41-judge panel to hear land and other disputes in Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties. [Photo: Standard]
The Njuri Ncheke Council of elders has formed a panel of 41 judges who will help arbitrate land disputes in the Meru community.
The council’s two secretary generals, Josphat Murangiri and Washington Muthamia said the judges will determine land cases when parties are not satisfied with rulings by lower courts.
Mr Murangiri and Mr Muthamia said the alternative dispute resolution mechanism put in place by the elders will greatly help the community.
Murangiri said currently, Meru law courts are burdened with many land cases. He said the appointed panel will hasten clearance of the backlog.
Arbitrate with speed
“Alternative dispute resolution is the way to go. Elders are able to arbitrate with speed. It does not cost the parties involved. Land cases in normal courts drag for ages and they are costly. Through this plan, elders are able to sit down and resolve the dispute amicably,” Muthamia said.
Murangiri added that the Njuri Ncheke courts in Chuka, Tharaka, Muthambi, Imenti, Tigania and Igembe will continue to hear land cases and other disputes.
According to Murangiri, the courts hear at least 100 cases in a week involving land disputes.
He added that if parties were not satisfied with the elders' rulings, they were free to appeal at higher courts.
The 41-member team includes the council’s chairman Linus Kathera, immediate former secretary-general Phares Ruteere, former chairman Paul M'Ethinkia, and Muthamia.
Murangiri said to make sure there was no bias, judges from a particular region would not hear disputes from their regions.
