Uasin Gishu County Government has affirmed commitment to work together with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to embrace the Alternative Justice System (AJS) to settle disputes and reduce backlog of cases in courts.
Addressing the media at the Uasin Gishu County Headquarters, JSC Commissioner Ms. Everlyn Olwande pointed out that the AJS will give the residents a faster alternative of solving disputes.
Olwande said that the members of JSC are part of a program meant to engage with the stakeholders both internally and externally to find out the challenges they are facing and challenges facing the administration of justice so as to collaborate in addressing the issues.
‘This county for a long time had only one court. Now, we have another one in Ainabkoi and Soy Sub Counties, and we are in discussion on expanding the presence of courts through the county to ensure there’s at least a court in every sub county,’ she noted.
‘We have gotten support and we expect we will soon be able to operationalise a court in Moiben and Turbo Sub Counties and the remaining sub counties. We are in discussion and the county government has promised support in terms of securing land to enable us bring justice closer to the people,’ said Olwande.
She noted that this program is in line with the Chief Justice Martha Koome’s vision of social transformation through access to justice.
A member of the JSC Mr. Isaac Ruto noted that the collaboration with the county government is to help the citizens in delivering justice to the lowest levels, in a simplified manner.
‘We want to encourage the public to understand that the judicial system is not mysterious as we always tend to believe,’ said Ruto. ‘We want to embrace the AJS where we have the elders arbitrating some of the issues like they used to do,’ he added.
He lauded the judiciary for having stood firm and true with the provisions of the constitution. ‘We need justice so that we can ensure a safe and peaceful country that has been continuously safeguarded by our judicial officers,’ he said.
Uasin Gishu Governor Mr. Jonathan Bii said the collaboration between the county and the JSC will reduce the backlog of cases which are in court. ‘As a county we are ready to facilitate and collaborate so that our people will be served in a better way,’ he said.
‘AJS has served us very well especially where we have had court cases that lingered in court for many years and right now it will be easier to help our people especially those who have waited for long to be served the justice they deserve,’ said Bii.
Source: Kenya News Agency