Chief Justice Martha Koome has called on the judiciary stakeholders to intensify preparations for the 2027 General Election, emphasising that readiness must go beyond electoral management to encompass the entire justice system.
Speaking during a National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) forum in Mombasa, CJ Koome underscored the importance of coordinated planning among institutions tasked with safeguarding constitutionalism and public trust.
“As we look ahead to the 2027 General Elections, the Council must continue preparing early. Election preparedness extends beyond electoral management. It encompasses the readiness of the entire justice sector to uphold constitutionalism, protect rights, manage disputes efficiently and preserve public confidence in the rule of law,” she said.
She encouraged the NCAJ Election Preparedness Committee to continue providing leadership in facilitating coordinated planning among all justice-sector institutions.
Ms Koome noted that early planning is critical to ensuring that disputes are resolved fairly and swiftly, thereby reinforcing confidence in democratic processes.
The NCAJ has been spearheading efforts to strengthen institutional capacity ahead of the polls, focusing on dispute resolution mechanisms, judicial independence, and public awareness.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s justice system is seeking to provide a common roadmap for digital transformation across the sector.
“It is essential to improving coordination, facilitating secure information sharing, strengthening data governance, reducing duplication of effort and enabling evidence-based decision-making,” said Ms Koome.
The CJ said digital transformation should make justice services more accessible, transparent and efficient for the people they serve. She said the digital transformation journey has progressively expanded beyond the automation of court processes to embrace the wider justice sector.
The CJ highlighted the successfully integrated Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Uadilifu Case Management System with the Judiciary’s Case Tracking System, enabling the electronic transmission of criminal cases and charge sheets.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga speaks during the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) forum in Mombasa on July 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
“We have established dedicated digital accounts for the Kenya Prisons Service, enabling prison facilities to file appeals, track cases, verify court orders, and support prisoner production. We have also integrated with the National Transport and Safety Authority to facilitate real-time verification of motor vehicle ownership and are in the final stages of integrating with the Ministry of Lands’ Ardhi Sasa platform to strengthen the management of land-related disputes,” said Ms Koome.
She said dedicated digital accounts have been established for the Probation and Aftercare Service to enable the secure electronic submission of probation reports.
However, he said the ongoing integration with the Department of Children Services will facilitate the seamless exchange of information in children’s matters,” she said.
Ms Koome said her office has developed specialised confidential accounts for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and are working closely with the Witness Protection Agency to provide a secure digital environment for filing sensitive matters.
This, she said, will recognise the unique confidentiality requirements of certain proceedings.
“I believe these are milestones worth celebrating. I would therefore request the NCAJ to provide an opportunity for a live demonstration of these integrations and specialised accounts so that justice sector stakeholders can appreciate the progress already made and the opportunities they present for transforming service delivery,” she said.
For instance, she said the Judiciary has already automated the generation of committal warrants and release orders. However, she said these documents continue to be printed because receiving institutions still require hard copies.
“With the Kenya Prisons Service already having secure digital accounts capable of verifying the authenticity of court documents, the time has come for us, as a justice sector, to embrace electronically authenticated documents and progressively transition away from paper-based processes,” she said.
This shift, she said, will reduce delays, improve efficiency, and bring us closer to a truly paperless justice system.
“The Standard Operating Procedures on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence represent another significant milestone in strengthening coordinated justice-sector responses to one of the most pressing human rights challenges of our time,” she said.
The CJ said survivors should never experience secondary victimisation because institutions fail to communicate or because referral systems are weak.
These procedures, she said, provide a framework for strengthening collaboration, clarifying institutional responsibilities and ensuring that survivors receive timely, dignified and trauma-informed services throughout the justice process.
