Governors want county courts set up

The Council of Governors wants the Judiciary to establish county courts to replace the defunct municipal courts.

Chairman Isaac Ruto said the courts would help in enforcing laws passed by county assemblies.

“Our position is that the county courts will help, not only in dispensing justice but also decongesting the regular courts,” Mr Ruto said on Tuesday when he received members of the Judicial Service Commission when they paid him a courtesy call.

The commissioners included Mr Justice Smokin Wanjala, Ms Emily Ominde and the Rev Samwel Kobia. They were accompanied by Bomet resident magistrates Virginia Karanja and Gideon Kiage.

In November last year, Chief Justice Willy Mutunga recalled all judicial staff previously assigned to municipal and city courts after they were rendered obsolete when the Local Government Act Cap 265 was repealed.

The CJ said cases pending before those courts and the ones arising due to a breach of new county legislation would be heard before magistrates’ courts.

On Tuesday, Mr Ruto, who is also the governor for Bomet, said the public had confidence in the Judiciary and the reforms it is implementing.

“The Council of Governors appreciates the work of the Judiciary in dispensing justice and interpreting the law in the new constitutional order,” said Mr Ruto.

He said called for enhancement of civic education at the grassroots for the people to understand laws that came with the promulgation of the Constitution.

Mr Ruto said his government would help the Judiciary acquire land at the county headquarters for the construction of staff quarters following the establishment of the High Court in the region.

Mr Wanjala said a sub-registry for the High Court in Bomet was gazetted by the CJ on January 28.