CJ Willy Mutunga creates 17 high courts, assigns judges in remote areas

NAIROBI: The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has elevated 17 stations into high courts in various parts of the country.

New high courts and judges have been posted to Kwale, Tana River, Voi, West Pokot, Kapenguria, Kitui, Lodwar, Chuka and other remote parts of Kenya in bid to take justice to areas which have been marginalised for many years. Chief Justice Willy Mutunga in a statement said following the creation of the courts, the country now has 34 high courts. "When I assumed office in 2011, there were only 17 high courts but since we started the reform programme, I am pleased to announce the posting of new judges in these new high court stations," said Dr Mutunga. "Efforts to expand the footprints of justice must acknowledge that every part of the country matters and that is why I have posted the judges to these stations," he added.

He said in the last four years, the Judiciary has been engaged in a robust transformation programme to improve access to justice and service delivery to commit expeditious delivery of justice.

Following the creation of the new courts, the CJ said judges who have been posted to the new stations are expected to start working in September.

The new stations are Turkana (Lodwar), Marsabit, West Pokot (Kapenguria Law Courts), Baringo (Kabarnet Law Courts), Tana River, Taita Taveta (Voi Law Courts), Laikipia (Nanyuki Law Courts), Nyamira, Siaya, Tharaka Nithi, Migori, Kajiado, Kitui and Bomet)

Mutunga said the creation of the new high courts was in line with what the new Constitution demands to ensure there was access to justice in the marginalised areas unlike in the past when some people had to travel for long distance to access justice.

But in the meantime, Mombasa Law Society of Kenya branch Chairman Erick Nyongesa has convened a special meeting for its members next week on Tuesday to deliberate on the cause of action after JSC failed to respond their complaints.

He accused the commission of posting only seven judges in Mombasa while creating 'unnecessary' new high court stations.

He cited the creation of a high court in Naivasha, Turkana and Tharaka Nithi as a waste of human resources, arguing the stations did not have many cases which warranted courts to be created there.

Nyongesa, who had given CJ 14 days to post more judges in the region or face a demonstration, said there were some stations which only required a Chief Magistrate to man them instead of judges.

He wondered why stations with no backlog of cases should be elevated, saying Mombasa, which is the second busiest station, was being discriminated.