By Grace Gilo
Chief Justice (CJ) Martha Koome has directed magistrates’ courts across the country to finalize cases that have been pending for over three years.
Speaking virtually at the 11th Annual Heads of Station Forum in Kisii County, CJ Koome emphasized the importance of prioritizing active case and docket management strategies to reduce the backlog.
She highlighted the significance of digital-ready courts and the adoption of ICT in streamlining processes and increasing access to justice.
The CJ also underscored the need to generate reliable justice data as it plays a crucial role in informed policymaking.
“Robust data will guide our strategies and ensure our initiatives have the intended impact. Therefore, we are using technology to enhance the accountability of our processes and get reliable performance data that will ensure informed and evidence-based decision-making,” she said.
CJ Koome highlighted the improvements made to the Case Tracking System (CTS) to enhance case tracking, management, and data integrity.
The CJ further directed all courts to utilize the cause list portal as the primary reference point for scheduled case events, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
“We are making the cause list portal the single reference point for scheduled case events. All courts are required to generate their cause lists and notices directly from the CTS,” the CJ directed.
To simplify the filing and analysis of case progress data, the process of submitting monthly court returns by Judges and Judicial Officers has been automated through the Monthly Returns Portal.
In addition, she commended the performance of Magistrates’ Courts in the first nine months of the 2023/24 Financial Year having resolved 281,211 cases compared to 289,576 cases filed in the same period, attaining a Case Clearance Rate (CCR) of 97 percent.
The Chief Justice also highlighted the importance of strengthening specialized courts, such as Children’s Courts, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Courts, and Small Claims Courts.
She emphasized that these courts play a unique role in addressing specific justice issues, which ultimately enhances the impact of justice in society.
Furthermore, she urged for an active effort to alleviate prison congestion by ensuring that Community Service Orders (CSO) Case Committees are consistently included as a standing item in the Court Users Committee (CUC) meeting agendas.
“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that moving forward, we will enhance our initiatives to reduce prison overcrowding as a measurable target in our Performance Management and Measurement Understanding (PMMU),” she noted.