CRJ assures ELC of facilitation and support to ensure it performs its core business

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Hon Winfridah Mokaya paid a courtesy call on the Presiding Judge of the Environment and Land Court Justice Oscar Angote. She assured the PJ that her office will facilitate and support the Court to perform its core business.

The CRJ observed that there is a lot of innovation that can be done through the court and commended Justice Angote for establishment of Land Division and Environment and Planning Division to promote efficiency. Court Annexed Mediation and Alternative Justice Systems were also lauded.

PJ Angote noted that inadequate infrastructure both in office space and ICT remains a challenge. On human resource needs, the PJ underscored the need to increase the number of Magistrates in the ELC Magistrate’s Court as well as Judicial Staff.

PJ Angote said ELC is the best performing court having reduced backlog from 40,000 cases down to 16,000 cases. The average number of cases each judge is handling is 500.He said the court enjoys good collegiality and judges are fully involved in the court’s activities.

Chief Registrar Mokaya, who was on her inaugural engagement with courts at Milimani, was received by Presiding Judge Angote, Lady Justice Anne Omollo who is the Presiding Judge of the Environment & Planning Division and Lady Justice Lucy Mbugua who is the Presiding Judge of the Land Division.

ELC Court was established in 2012 with 15 judges appointed. The Court has since grown to cover 40 counties with a complement of 52 judges. It has 3 Sub-Registries and 5 circuit courts that sit in Chuka, Vihiga, Garissa, Nyahururu and Kabarnet for one week every month.