Industrial Court Judges, Eight High Court Judges, and 15 Environment and Land Court Judges
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2 State of the Judiciary Report, 2012 - 2013 Preface This is the Second Annual State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice Report (SoJAR), which has been prepared in fulfillment of Section 5 (2) (b) of the Judicial Service Act. It covers the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, which coincides with the Government of Kenya financial year. It is also the second report since the launch of the Judiciary Transformation Framework (JTF) in May 2011. This has been an eventful year for the Judiciary. We have made marked progress but also witnessed serious challenges that have threatened the Judiciary’s transformation and shaken public confidence in the process. Hon. Dr. Willy Mutunga, D. Jur, SC, EGH, The Judiciary has had to make tough decisions in order to protect public resources. And whereas the process Chief Justice and President of the Supreme may look a little messy to the public eye, there is no doubt that these choices have been made and decisions Court of Kenya Republic of Kenya. taken in the public interest. The Judiciary remains supremely confident that it shall build on the achievements made and deal with the challenges posed while the compass of transformation remains firmly fixed. This has been the year of active implementation of the JTF at the macro level, and combined planning and implementation at the micro level, particularly within departments and directorates. We have been testing the objectives and viability of transformation and transition on the ground, and are learning important lessons. We have made progress, but we also made mistakes. Some of these challenges are disappointing but not entirely surprising. Some, such as emergent corruption at the administrative cadres that has attended the increase in our budget size, are a natural consequence of the transformation objective of securing additional resources the institution required in the first place to undertake far reaching reforms at a time when the institution still had weak and underdeveloped internal oversight and codified mechanisms and processes. Others are a product of the political context of transition in 2012/2013. Going forward, the Judicial Service Commission and the Judiciary will invest heavily in the establishment of an elaborate and effective internal accountability infrastructure that has in-built checks and balances for the protection of public resources. Arguably, infrastructure expansion, broadly defined, has been the embodiment of the Judiciary and justice sector transformation this year. We have expanded the attitudinal infrastructure of the staff through culture change workshops; the physical infrastructure of the courts through construction and rehabilitation; inter- agency cooperation through revitalization and expansion of the National Council for the Administration of Justice (NCAJ); and the resource base infrastructure of the institution through government, World Bank and United Nations Development Programme support. These investments will continue. The rest of the justice sector has also made important strides in the administration of justice. Various reform initiatives are on course as a consequence of the implementation of the Constitution. NCAJ and the Court Users Committees (CuCs) will begin to play a much bigger and central role in the administration of justice. Though the NCAJ is still in its nascent stages, it has taken off to a good and encouraging start. However, challenges still remain: low and inequitable budgetary allocation; insufficient collaboration and coordination; uncertainties of transition; statutory instabilities; low to average productivity and efficiency of partner agencies State of the Judiciary Report, 2012 - 2013 3 are some of the key challenges among others. In this regard, it is important that additional resources are directed to NCAJ and its agencies so that they are able to execute their mandates effectively. At the Judiciary, courts construction will continue, as will be the decentralisation of courts. The legal requirement of having a High Court station in each county will continue to be pursued, as will be the decentralization of the Court of Appeal, possibly to Eldoret and Nakuru. However, this will require additional resources. We are glad to note that several Governors are donating land for court construction and expansion, and more should be encouraged to follow suit. In order to facilitate increased access to justice, the JSC will have a structured conversation with various ministries on how to systematically bring Tribunals under the Judiciary to give effect to the constitutional provisions that make them part of the institution. It is important that Parliament notes that this, together with courts construction, will again have huge budgetary implications. The success of Judiciary transformation and the justice sector depends on a constructive collaboration among the branches of government. It is important that a harmonious inter-branch relationship is nurtured and cultivated if all the agencies work towards the betterment of the society and service of the Kenyan people. The Judiciary and the NCAJ will play their part in this regard and invite other actors to similarly do the same. The quest for justice and the administration of justice stretches beyond the courtrooms. Every institution, including Parliament, the Executive, Independent Commissions and Offices, and every member of the public has a duty to serve the cause of justice. We must recognize therefore that while the Judiciary is intent on establishing itself as a hub of homegrown jurisprudence, it will take more than the courts to entrench a culture of Rule of Law in our institutional and public psyche. The other organs of government, non-state actors and the public must therefore do their part. The data in this Report demonstrates that whereas work is being done across other justice sector agencies, the output is still not optimal. There is certainly still a lot more to be done in order for the Judiciary and other justice sector agencies to meet the full expectations of the Kenyan people. Hon. Dr. Willy Mutunga, D. Jur, SC, EGH, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya Republic of Kenya 4 State of the Judiciary Report, 2012 - 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This 2nd Annual State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice Report is the cumulative handiwork of extraordinary dedication. This progress would not have been possible without the new culture of constant documentation and periodic reporting that the employees of the Judiciary are beginning to, and must forever, embrace. Nevertheless, this report was prepared in difficult and challenging circumstances. I would therefore like to salute all the Judiciary’s members of staff who worked with a renewed spirit, adapted to rapid change, and made the achievements we record here possible in these trying times. I want to thank them also for providing the information and data that has made this report possible. The Registrars and Directors have done a good job in helping to compile this. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the many resourceful stakeholders in the justice sector through the NCAJ for their unwavering cooperation and support in the collection, analysis and reporting of the information that went into this report. I also thank GIZ and UNDP for their support for the transformation programme including their contribution in the preparation of this report. Finally, I wish to extend my special thanks to the State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice Report Editorial Committee comprising of Abdul Omar, Dennis Kabaara, Duncan Okello, Hon. Lyna Sarapai, John Muriuki, Katra Sambili, Kwamchetsi Makokha and Muthoni Njunge as well as Aaamera Jiwaji, Michael Murungi and Ednar Kuria who reviewed and edited the draft. Their singular dedication, insight, professionalism and creativity ensured that this report is done. The institution is grateful to them for their service in facilitating the establishment of a comprehensive reporting framework of its own that will be used for years to come. Thank you. Hon. Dr. Willy Mutunga, D. Jur, SC, EGH, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya Republic of Kenya State of the Judiciary Report, 2012 - 2013 5 Table of Contents PREFACE .....................................................................................................................................................................2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES & ANNEXES...........................................................................................................................8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 10 OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................... 11 PART 1 ACCESS TO JUSTICE ..................................................................................25 CHAPTER 1: PEOPLE-FOCUSED DELIVERY OF JUSTICE ...................................................................................................27 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................27 1.1 Systems of Courts and Case Load ..............................................................................................................27