CJ Koome opens first autonomous Alternative Justice Systems Centre in Africa

Chief Justice Martha Koome has emphasised the vital role the Alternative Justice Systems play in enhancing access to justice.

Speaking on Tuesday, Koome said the Constitution recognises AJS, and guides on embracing it.

Koome was speaking during the launch of the first autonomous Alternative Justice System (AJS) Centre in Africa in Nakuru.

Koome said the initiative recognises that Kenyan communities have for generations developed their own justice systems that have and continue to hold societies together.

"What holds us together is our own sense of justice. The Constitution guides us to embrace and recognise AJS," Koome said.

"There is no doubt in my mind that AJS holds great promise in enhancing access to justice and in refocusing this country as a people-centred justice jurisdiction," she said.

The CJ said it is a recognition that mediation and reconciliation processes, including those conducted within the alternative justice mechanisms, are central for the resolution disputes given that they are collaborative processes that foster long-term relationships

The AJS centre is an initiative of the Inter-faith Christian Forum in Nakuru in collaboration with the county government.

The ‘House of Reconciliation’ AJS centre is the first of its kind in the entire region.

She said it is an innovation that will be immensely useful to the communities in Nakuru County and Kenyans at large.

According to Koome, the centre will contribute to the creation of a just social order.

It will also prioritise reconciliation and foster peaceful co-existence in the communities essential to empower all to realise their capabilities and potential.

"This novel innovation becomes a beacon of good practice and a symbol of the multi-door access to justice," she said.

Present during the launch include the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda Justice Richard Buteera and Nakuru County Deputy Governor David Kones.