Chief Justice Martha Koome has transferred 18 judges of the Environment and Land Court (ELC) and posted 18 others, who were newly appointed, to various stations.
Justice Bernard Eboso, who was handling Deputy President William Ruto’s Weston Hotel land case, was moved from Milimani in Nairobi to Thika.
The case pits the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority against the National Land Commission and Weston Hotel Limited.
Thika will now have two ELC judges — Justice Eboso and Justice Grace Kemei, who has been transferred from Murang’a. Justice Lucy Gacheru, who was in Thika, has been transferred to Murang’a.
Machakos will also have two land court judges — one being Justice Christine Ochieng, who has been transferred from Kajiado and the other being Justice Nyukuri Annet (newly appointed).
Also transferred from Milimani are justices Elijah Obaga and Kossy Bor, who have been moved to Eldoret and Nanyuki respectively.
Positions of the judges transferred from Milimani will be taken by Justice Oscar Angote, who has been moved from Machakos, and Justice Lucy Mbugua (moved from Meru).
Justice James Olola will now be stationed in Nyeri following the suspension of Justice Lucy Waithaka two years ago over allegations of issuing two conflicting judgments on the same case.
Since her suspension in June 2019, Nyeri ELC court has been operating without a substantive judge and its cases were being handled by Justice Mary Oundo from Nyahururu.
Among the 18 newly appointed ELC judges, the CJ has posted four of them to Milimani. They include David Mwangi Mugo, Mboya Oguttu, Edward Wabwoto and Jackline Mogeni.
The other newly appointed judges have been posted in various court stations. For instance, Justice Naikuni Lucas Leperes (Mombasa), Mwanyale Michael Ngolo (Kapsabet), Addraya Edda Dena (Kwale), Kimani Lilian Gathoni (Kitui), Kamau Joseph Mugo (Nyamira) and Koross Anne Yatich Kipingor (Siaya).
Others are Gicheru Maxwell Nduiga (Kajiado), Ongarora Fred Nyagaka (Bomet), Christopher Kyania Nzili (Meru), Omollo Lynette Achieng’ (Nakuru), Washe Emmanuel Mutwana (Kilgoris), Nyukuri Annet (Machakos), Murigi Theresa Wairimu (Makueni) and Asati Esther (Vihiga).
The other old judges affected by the transfers include Justice Francis Muchoki Njoroge who has been moved from Chuka to Isiolo, Millicent Odeny (from Eldoret to Malindi), Nelly Matheka (Kakamega to Mombasa) and Charles Yano (Mombasa to Chuka).
Justice Francis Njoroge has been moved from Kitale to Nakuru while justice Dalmas Ohungo has been transferred from Nakuru to Kakamega, George Ong’ondo (Migori to Homabay), Mohammed Kullow (Narok to Migori) and Charles Mbogo (Makueni to Narok).
