Chief Justice Martha Koome has called for the adoption of a ‘bottom-up approach’ in ensuring Kenyans' access to justice.
Speaking in Mombasa on Thursday during a retreat for Judges of Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC), the CJ said the Supreme Court should and will lead by example in adopting the approach.
"My broad vision for the judiciary is a judiciary that is efficient in the delivery of services running from the Magistrates, Kadhi's Courts, Tribunals, Superior courts all the way to the Apex Court. The experience a litigant should have before the Supreme Court should be the same across the board in all the courts below," Koome said.
The approach according to the CJ will allow for more consultation among judicial officers and coming up with innovative case management systems to improve service delivery.
Koome noted that she also looks forward to opening more small claims courts in low-income areas to reduce the time and distance litigants have to travel, in the search for judicial services.
"We hope to see innovations in time which could include the Commercial Courts and the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Courts adopting “night court” shifts i.e. court sittings between 5.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m., to ensure that their performance and resolution of cases in real-time," she said.
Koome noted that with the approach, no cases should stay in a trial court beyond three years and an appellate court beyond one year.
This, she said has been necessitated by the reality that the Judiciary is operating in a changing environment where Kenyans expect quality, efficient and cost-effective delivery of service.
"The imperative goal of the bottom-up approach to access to justice is expeditious delivery of justice with dignity and without discrimination," the CJ added.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court Judges are on a three-day retreat on the constitutional approach to adjudication of labour disputes in Mombasa.