Kindiki challenges East African judges, magistrates to hasten justice delivery

Prof. Kindiki said justice is an indispensable ingredient in social and economic growth of citizens as well as the nations’ saying delays in delivering leads to under-development.

“When justice is inaccessible, development stalls, inequality widens, and the promise of the rule of law becomes hollow. Our judicial systems must therefore function not as barriers, but as open doorways through which fairness, dignity, and economic opportunity can flow to every corner of our region,” he stated.

The DP spoke on Tuesday when he opened the 22nd East African Magistrates and Judges Association Annual Conference in Nairobi.

He said courts must be more accessible, friendlier and efficient in a bid to respond effectively to the demands of the modern society.

“Across East Africa, too many of our people still experience formal courts as distant, slow, costly, or intimidating spaces. For millions, especially women, youth, small entrepreneurs, and rural communities, the justice system appears more like a fortress than a support structure,” he noted.

As he encouraged more creativity, Prof. Kindiki welcomed the adoption of flexible approaches to deliver justice including use of Alternative Justice Systems (AJS), Court-Annexed Mediation (CAM), Small Claims Courts, and other multi-door approaches designed to solve disputes faster.

“Justice cannot be confined to stone buildings or rigid procedures. It must instead travel to where people live, work, trade, and build families. These pathways offer quicker, more affordable, and culturally informed avenues for resolving disputes, enabling justice systems to adapt to the lived experiences of our diverse populations,” DP added.

Further, Prof. Kindiki affirmed Kenya’s support for a stronger region with better judiciaries that listen to the citizens, respect their dignity and deliver justice fairly and expeditiously.

He also reminded the judicial officers that national security, national cohesion, justice and fairness are the software upon which the foundation of EAC nations are built.

“The future we envision for East Africa is not only about expanding markets, building highways, or deepening inter-governmental relations; it is about cultivating shared values anchored in fairness, dignity, and institutional integrity. Justice is the glue that binds societies and the foundation on which peaceful, prosperous, and united communities are built,” he reiterated.

The DP also noted the progress made in asserting human liberty, the place of women in societies, creating equality and protecting the vulnerable across the region but challenged the judges and magistrates to also lead in the quest for socio-economic freedoms.

“We have not asserted the place of individuals and communities to be free from want and poverty. This is equally important. Social and economic empowerment should go hand- in-hand with civil and democratic empowerment,” he said.