 |
| Chief Justice Martha Koome |
Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced new dates for the planned resumption of services at the Makadara Law Courts.
Koome stated that after extensive consultations with security agencies, the leadership of the Makadara Law Courts, Judiciary management, and various judicial associations, the Makadara Law Courts will reopen on July 1, 2024.
This follows the tragic shooting incident at the Makadara Law Courts that claimed the life of Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti.
Koome had initially said the court would remain closed until June 24 to allow for the dismantling of makeshift court structures and reorganisation for security reasons.
“Starting July 1, 2024, plea-taking will resume in secured and fit-for-purpose courtrooms,” said Koome.
From June 24 to 26, 2024, all judicial officers and court staff at the Makadara Law Courts will undergo individual and group trauma counseling sessions conducted by professional counselors.
On June 27, a meeting of the Makadara Law Courts Court Users Committee (CUC) will discuss the modalities of resuming court operations and review new security measures.
The CUC will also provide guidelines on hearing modalities and the use of virtual courts to reduce congestion.
Additionally, on June 28, court diaries will be reorganised to assign new dates for pending matters.
Koome directed that until the resumption of services at the Makadara Law Courts, all matters will continue to be handled at the Milimani Law Courts.
Enhanced security measures for all courts
The Chief Justice further outlined enhanced security measures for all courts across the country, including the Makadara Law Courts, effective June 24.
Going forward, the Judiciary Police Unit will enforce strict search protocols, and no unauthorized persons will be allowed to access court premises while armed with firearms.
Judicial officers and staff will be required to wear name tags at all times, while other court users will need to provide identification documents.
Only vehicles with serialized Judiciary car stickers will be allowed to access court parking, with searches conducted before entry.
To reduce the number of court users who have to visit the registry and court, Koome said customer care desks shall be strengthened through the deployment of adequate staff and ICT equipment.
Additionally, each court station, in consultation with the Court Users Committees, shall submit requests for the facilitation of any security infrastructure required to address identified gaps.
Koome said the Judiciary Leadership Team and various committees will collaborate with other agencies to implement comprehensive long-term security measures.
By Prudence Wanza