Chief Justice Martha Koome has expressed concern over the growing corruption within the Judiciary, emphasising its recent surge and the resulting erosion of public confidence.
Speaking on Tuesday at this year’s Magistrates and Kadhis colloquium in Naivasha, Koome noted that the Judiciary’s performance is now under intense public scrutiny.
She revealed that several corruption cases involving court staff had been reported to her office, warning that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
She assured that appropriate action would be taken.
“Allegations of graft in the Judiciary cannot be ignored. We must ensure a corruption-free system, as the public has great faith in us,” Koome said.
To address the issue, she announced the establishment of an integrity committee in all courts, which will include officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Koome also raised concerns about staff in some stations demanding facilitation fees from members of the public, calling it unacceptable.
The Chief Justice further criticised the frequent adjournment of cases, which she said contributed to the growing backlog in the Judiciary.
“The practice of over-listing cases in a single day—sometimes as many as 50—results in long delays, with many cases not being heard at all,” she stated.
She added that this system is unfair to litigants and advocates, who often spend entire days in court only to leave without having their cases heard.
“As judicial officers, we must ensure we list only a manageable number of cases each day, based on our capacity to hear and conclude them,” she urged.
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