JSC appoints 100 new magistrates to underserved regions
The Judicial Service Commission has hired 100 new resident magistrates, significantly boosting the number of magistrates from 560 to 660.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has appointed 100 new resident magistrates in a bid to improve access to justice and reduce case backlogs.
The JSC said the appointments will significantly enhance the Judiciary’s capacity to deliver justice more efficiently.
“By increasing the number of Magistrates who manage the bulk of new filings, the Judiciary will be better positioned to address the persistent challenge of case backlogs and delays that have long affected the timely dispensation of justice,” JSC secretary Winfridah Mokaya said.
Ms Mokaya, who is also the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, said the deployment of the new judicial officers to various court stations, including underserved regions and newly established courts, “will further improve access to justice by expanding the geographical reach of judicial services and bringing them closer to the people in accordance with constitutional aspirations”.
She added that the new appointments will augment the current complement of 560 magistrates serving in 143 magistrates’ courts across the country.
She stated that magistrates’ courts form the backbone of Kenya’s justice system, handling the majority of criminal and civil cases and serving as the primary point of contact for most citizens seeking justice at the grassroots level.
“In addition, the enhanced personnel levels will promote judicial specialization. The availability of more Resident Magistrates will enable their deployment to specialized areas such as Children’s Courts and Small Claims Courts, allowing senior Judicial Officers in major stations to focus on more complex matters within their expanded jurisdictions,” she said.
The CRJ said the improvements in efficiency, access and specialisation will collectively contribute to strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
She added that faster resolution of cases, reduced delays and improved accessibility are essential to rebuilding and sustaining trust in the rule of law.
“This appointment marks a critical step in the Commission’s broader human resource strategy to ensure that the Judiciary is sufficiently equipped to fulfill its constitutional mandate and effectively serve the people of Kenya,” Ms Mokaya said.
The Judiciary’s workforce now stands at 6,979 employees, representing 64 percent of the approved establishment.
During her State of the Judiciary and the Administration of Justice (Sojar) report in November, Chief Justice Martha Koome said the increasing number of stations and expanding jurisdictional demands underscore the urgent need for additional staffing to sustain improvements in access to justice and maintain high standards of service delivery.
She, however, decried financial constraints, which she stated continued to affect infrastructure development, digitisation, recruitment, and operational capacity.
The CJ pointed out that the Judiciary was allocated Sh22.78 billion against a requirement of Sh44.90 billion, leaving a funding gap of 49 percent.
“The funding deficits of Sh 22.12 billion had a far-reaching implication on the Judiciary’s ability to deliver on its constitutional mandate. Underfunding of recurrent expenditure, which covered critical operational needs such as salaries, contractual obligations and other operational expenses, undermined efficiency and contributed to the growing backlog of cases,” the CJ said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
