Judiciary installs lifts in Nyeri Law Courts after elderly, disabled complain

Charles Mwangi desperately waits for assistance to go down the stairs after attending a court session on the second floor of the Nyeri Law Courts on December 4, 2013. The Judiciary is now installing lifts in the courts after elderly people complained of difficulties in getting to upper courtrooms. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The court building has been without a lift for over five years, since it was constructed.
  • Often, disabled and elderly people have to be assisted up the stairs to enable them to attend court sessions.
  • The High Court, Labour Relations Court, Environmental Court and Court of Appeal rooms are located on the third floor.

The Judiciary is installing lifts in the Nyeri Law Courts after elderly people complained of difficulties in getting to upper courtrooms.

The Sh19 million project was initiated after Purity Elderly Care Foundation, a community organisation, wrote to the courts over the problems faced by elderly litigants attending mainly succession and land hearings.

“The lifts are expected to start working in two months’ time,” said Nyeri Chief Magistrate John Onyiego.

The residents of Nyeri had complained that they had not been accorded equal rights since the four-storey building was not easily accessible.

They said the lack of lifts made it difficult for physically challenged litigants to follow proceedings.

The court building has been without a lift for over five years, since it was constructed.

Often, disabled and elderly people have to be assisted up the stairs to enable them to attend court sessions.

The High Court, Labour Relations Court, Environmental Court and Court of Appeal rooms are located on the third floor.

In May, chief executive officer Joyce Wanjiku recommended the relocation of the environmental and succession court rooms to the ground floor unless the lifts were installed.