Chief Justice Koome Launches SGBV and Small Claims Courts in Siaya

Siaya, Friday June 16, 2023

KNA by Calvin Otieno

Chief Justice Martha Koome reaffirmed the Judiciary’s efforts in ensuring that her office reduces the geographical distance of courts to ensure that justice is within reach of the people.

She was speaking in Siaya Law courts where she was launching the Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Small Claims Courts respectively as well as officially opening the court building.

While welcoming the Chief Justice Siaya Governor James Orengo requested the Chief Justice to consider naming the Siaya High Courts after one of the most prominent lawyers who hailed from Siaya, a request which was granted and the courts renamed.

“I have no hesitation to accept the request that this court be named Argwings Kodhek Siaya High Court, and we’ll move towards gazetting that in honor of one of the first indigenous lawyers of this country” said the Chief Justice.

While giving her speech, Koome noted that very few counties in Kenya have reached the milestone which Siaya has achieved, she said that Siaya has managed to have a court in almost all sub-counties adding that one will be constructed at Ugunja once the court at Yala is completed.

Koome cited that Kenya is ahead in terms of Judicial Technology and access to justice ahead of countries like England and Wales, adding that E-filing in courts coupled with the case tracking systems form a critical cog in the Judiciary’s digitization agenda reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks that have historically plagued the justice systems and at the same time bridging the gap between the people and the courts.

“We are therefore democratizing justice making it not just a concept inscribed in our constitution but a concept that is countable reality for all Kenyans” said Koome.

The Siaya SGBV Court becomes the second one to be launched in Kenya by the Chief Justice after the first one launched in Mombasa last year, according to the Chief Justice, a clear demonstration of the Judiciary’s unwavering commitment to eradicate such atrocities.

Courtesy ; K. N. A