Community rebuilds law courts after June fire, restores justice

Kikuyu Chief Magistrate Liza Gicheha and Police officer Ann Baraka congratulate each other upon the opening of a new court. [Geprge Njunge / Standard]

The business community in Kikuyu Town, Kiambu County, has rebuilt the courts that were destroyed during the Gen Z demonstrations in June, which saw at least four courtrooms and registry desks reduced to ashes.

The community handed over the new building to Kikuyu Chief Magistrate Liza Gicheha yesterday. Over Sh2.8 million was reportedly spent constructing Court Number One, while PCEA Thogoto contributed Sh800,000 to build new washrooms.

Receiving the new courtrooms, Ms Gicheha described the past six months as a difficult period, during which court operations had to be conducted from the Kikuyu Police chapel and police canteen, both converted into temporary courtrooms.

“It is a milestone. It is unbelievable that we are back in a proper courtroom after six months of uncertainty since the courts were destroyed. I am grateful to the Kikuyu business community and the church for alleviating the challenges we faced while trying to dispense justice, particularly to the people of Kikuyu,” she said.

She added that conducting hearings from makeshift courts had been challenging, as many matters had to be addressed online. “I also thank the prison department for its tremendous support during this period. They understood the difficulties we faced. I am glad that henceforth, all court users will be able to attend physical hearings,” Ms Gicheha said.

Kikuyu Central Ward MCA James Kamau, who led the business community in constructing the new court and acquiring containers to be used as registries, said that accessing justice had been difficult, as many matters had to be taken to Kabete, Limuru, and Lari courts.

“Our residents complained, and we listened. As community leaders and businesspeople, we immediately initiated this project. Sending people to Lari for hearings was time-consuming, and justice, as we know, is about timeliness,” Kamau said.

He added that most court users are residents of Kikuyu and surrounding areas. “These courts serve our brothers and sisters. We received numerous complaints from residents seeking help. Together with the church, we have restored this vital facility for Wanjiku and plan to reconstruct the entire block,” he said.

Anthony Muhindi, a local businessman who played a key role in the project, said the closure of the courts had also negatively impacted local businesses.

“The fire and subsequent relocation of courts affected businesses in Kikuyu. Court users frequented over four courtrooms, including the court registry, land registry, and identity card issuance offices. These were all destroyed. These users are also the people who support our businesses—they buy from our shops, eat in our hotels, and use our cyber cafés. We have felt their absence over the past few months,” Muhindi explained.