Civil society groups in the North Rift have started educating residents on Alternative Justice Systems to help decongest courts and prisons.
The groups are sensitising residents on the need to use AJS to resolve disputes within communities using mediation and through elders.
North Rift Theatre Ambassadors CEO Ken Ruto said they aim to promote access to justice for the poor and marginalised communities in Uasin Gishu and other areas.
He said they they have a programme called ‘Justice under the shade’ through which they will hold public forums to inform residents about the mechanisms that were previously used by communities to resolve disputes.
“Many of the cases in our formal courts may take hundreds of years to conclude. We are telling our communities that even traditionally, we had local methods through which disputes were resolved and we need to revive them,” Ruto said.
He said courts have huge backlog of cases which can be resolved quickly through AJS.
The programme, which involves several other civil society groups, is funded by the European Union through the UNDP and Amkeni Wakenya.
“We are already on the ground working through various ways to promote alternative justice systems using local models,” Ruto said.
He said the Kalenjin community had traditional ways known as Kokwet or Kipgaa through which people used to solve disputes.
Ruto said Kokwet acted like magistrate’s court and bororiet was like the High Court and they were effective in resolving many issues.
“There was also mediation through which elders dealt with many issues locally,” he said.
Ruto said disputes regarding succession, matrimonial property and issues affecting widows can be resolved through AJS.
“We are also out there to help build the capacity of widows to be able to fight for their rights because some of them are sidelined during inheritance processes just on the basis that they are women,” he said.
Ruto said they are working with the Court Users Committee, which includes the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Attorney General's office and the Ombudsman.
The team has also been going out with lawyers to help deal with some of the existing matters.
The group uses participatory theatre groups, local radio stations and public forums under trees to sensitise residents.