CJ urges judges to champion multi-door approach to justice delivery and embrace technology
Kisumu. Monday, March 25, 2024. CJ urges judges to champion multi-door approach to justice delivery and embrace technology
Chief Justice Martha Koome has urged judges to champion the multi-door approach to the delivery of justice and embrace the technological advancements intended to support the efficiency of court processes in order to expand the frontiers of justice.
Speaking during the opening of the High Court Leaders Conference in Kisumu, the Chief Justice said technological advancements and operational strategies are not just about enhancing efficiency; but they are also about transforming the way that justice is administered.
“Reliable data and streamlined processes are the bedrock of effective court management. As we integrate these innovations into our daily operations, we are not just evolving technologically but are also fortifying the foundations of our judicial system for the betterment of our society,” said the Chief Justice.
The CJ said the High Court, with its extensive jurisdiction and impending presence in all 47 counties, is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of the quest to make justice more accessible to all citizens. To achieve this, she urged the judges to embrace a broader interpretation of the judicial role, as outlined in the Constitution, beyond mere arbiter of disputes.
“We must strive to be facilitators of dialogue, connectors of various justice delivery channels, and promoters of social harmony, I therefore urge you to actively champion the multi-door approach to disputes resolution,” the CJ Koome said.
She added: “In this regard, I urge you to encourage the uptake and use of mediation, alternative justice systems (AJS), and specialized courts, through which we aim to make our justice system more responsive to the needs of Kenyans, particularly the vulnerable.”
The Chief Justice said a significant leap forward has been made with regards to leveraging technology as an enabler for the efficiency of our operations. Singling out the e-filing initiative, CJ Koome said it has progressed significantly and was rolled out across all court stations on March 11th.
She urged judges to embrace and leverage on the technological investments for efficiency of court processes.
“We are also embracing technology to ensure the accurate and prompt transcription of court proceedings. With the establishment of a pilot transcription centre, we are set to offer transcription services across the country, aiming to alleviate the workload on our judges and judicial officers and expedite the hearing process,” the Chief Justice added.
Chief Justice Koome explained that to further enhance operational efficiency and transparency, the Judiciary introduced a “Data Tracking Dashboard” that is an innovative tool that will enable the Judiciary’s Leadership and Court Leaders to monitor court activities and outputs in real-time, providing immediate insights and trend analysis into the performance of our courts and facilitating informed decision-making. In addition, the Chief Justice said the Judiciary has enhanced the capabilities of our Case Tracking System (CTS).
“It is important for us to appreciate that we have been facing a big challenge with respect to data integrity for some time now. To ensure that the data from the CTS is reliable, have undertaken an enhancement of the Case Tracking System,” said the CJ.
She added that these enhancements are pivotal in ensuring the reliability of data, which is indispensable for informed policy-making and tracking the progress of our institutional development efforts.
The Chief Justice commended the judges for championing court infrastructural development across the country. She said their collaborative endeavors with local leaders have not only secured land allocations to the Judiciary but also seen court facility constructions initiated through localized efforts, embodying a shared leadership model that is commendable.
“I urge you to continue with these efforts as it will help us bridge the huge infrastructural deficits that we are facing in our quest to have Magistrates’ Courts in all constituencies and High Courts in all counties,” said the CJ.
High Court Principal judge Eric Ogola underscored the importance of the annual conference saying it brings together the High Court Judges and the Deputy Registrars and accords them an opportunity to reflect, review and re-strategize the year’s performance.
“It also gives the High Court Judges an opportunity to appraise feedback by way of criticism by the public and to re-strategize to meet the emerging challenges,” said Justice Ogola.
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