CJ Maraga roots for alternative dispute resolution mechanisms

Chief Justice David Maraga. (Photo: David Njaaga, Standard)

Chief Justice David Maraga has urged the public to seek alternative dispute resolution methods as it emerged over Sh4 billion is being held up due to family and commercial disputes.

Justice Maraga said the Judiciary had given parties in family and commercial disputes a chance to mend their broken relationships through mediation and save millions of shillings held up due to their differences.

"Rather than let courts make decisions for parties in dispute, the Judiciary, through mediation, empowers parties to make their own decisions that suit them best and in the process foster an environment for reconciliation," said Maraga.

Maraga said they opted for alternative dispute resolution to shorten the long process of going through the courts.

He said Sh500 million, which had been held up due to court cases over family and commercial disputes, has been released back to the economy after the parties agreed to mediation.

"The total value of matters currently in mediation stands at about Sh4.4 billion and we can only imagine the impact court annexed mediation will have on the economy given time and resources," said Maraga.

Justice Maraga made the remarks during a stakeholders meeting for the court annexed mediation at a Nairobi hotel.

He said the Judiciary opted to embrace mediation as a way to reduce case backlogs and save the public the time and costs of going through litigation in court.

"Kenyans need to know litigation alone as a form of dispute resolution is no longer sustainable. We need to educate the masses that there are easier and faster ways to resolve disputes," said Maraga.