Chief Justice Martha Koome has described early pregnancy as a major child justice crisis in Bungoma County, calling for urgent, coordinated action to protect children and ensure justice for survivors.

Speaking during an engagement with Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, the Chief Justice revealed that Bungoma Law Courts currently have 125 pending defilement cases, underscoring the scale of the challenge.

She emphasized that addressing the crisis requires a whole-of-society approach.

“Such a societal problem cannot be handled by one actor. It is a collective responsibility. I call for the establishment of a County Action Plan bringing together the Judiciary, the County Government, the Children’s Department and all relevant stakeholders to eliminate this vice,” said the Chief Justice.

CJ Koome commended the County Government for establishing the Children Rescue Centre at Ndengelwa and urged the county to replicate the model across its remaining eight sub-counties to improve access to child protection services.

She also called on the County Government to waive medical fees for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), noting that charging survivors for treatment adds to their trauma.

Governor Lusaka reaffirmed the county’s commitment to child protection and called for firm action against perpetrators of defilement, which often leads to early pregnancies among minors.

The Chief Justice also highlighted the importance of expanding access to justice through Alternative Justice Systems (AJS). Citing a recent survey, she noted that only 17 per cent of justice seekers go to court, while 64 per cent prefer Alternative Justice Systems and 19 per cent take no action.

She said the Judiciary is constitutionally mandated to promote Alternative Dispute Resolution and ensure agreements reached through recognized AJS mechanisms can be adopted as court orders.

Governor Lusaka pledged to work with the Judiciary to establish and strengthen mediation and Alternative Justice Systems in Bungoma, noting that many people prefer community-based dispute resolution mechanisms.

On judicial infrastructure, CJ Koome observed that Bungoma County has only four courts—Bungoma, Webuye, Kimilili and Sirisia—despite having nine constituencies. She thanked the County Government for allocating 1.5 acres of land for a new court and appealed for additional land in other constituencies. She also encouraged local MPs to consider using Constituency Development Fund (CDF) resources to support court construction and bring justice services closer to the people.

The Chief Justice is touring courts across Western Kenya to engage stakeholders, assess regional justice needs, strengthen partnerships and enhance access to affordable, people-centred justice.