Judiciary urges Isiolo residents to embrace alternative justice system

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Isiolo residents have been asked to embrace alternative justice systems by engaging elders to resolve conflicts to reduce the backlog of cases in courts.

Speaking during a sensitisation meeting at Isiolo Law Courts, Environment and Lands Court judge Peter Njoroge, noted it was advantageous for people to resolve their conflicts with the help of elders.

"It is cheaper for the parties when you work with elders to resolve disputes instead of engaging lawyers and incurring transport costs to courts," Njoroge said.

He noted it would also take less time, instead of the courts, where some cases remain unresolved for decades.

Isiolo Law Courts Chief Magistrate Lucy Mutai, who presided over the event, asked elders from the various ethnic communities living in Isiolo, notably the Borana, Somali, Samburu, Ameru, Turkana and Kikuyu to uphold the highest levels of integrity to ensure that justice is served.

Isiolo Interfaith Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Set warned elders to desist from any malpractice to protect the institution of Councils of elders who handled cases in the Traditional African Set up.

"Our elders must maintain their integrity because today, people lie to the courts to the extent of preparing land ownership documents that appear to be authentic," he said.

The leaders also called for the involvement of women in the dispute resolution committees, noting that women are always left out of crucial decision-making processes.