Advocates boycott court over magistrate shortage

Members of Maua Advocates Association led by Chairperson Hosea Mutembei boycott court. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

Lawyers practicing at the Maua Law Courts in Meru County briefly boycotted court sessions on Friday, December 13, and announced plans to strike on January 15, 2025, citing a severe shortage of magistrates.

The Maua Advocates Association accused the Judiciary of failing to replace two magistrates who were transferred earlier this year.

The association's chairperson, Hosea Mutembei, said the delay in posting replacements has worsened an already dire situation at the Maua courts, which handle a high volume of land-related disputes in the Igembe region.

"The entire community is suffering due to this understaffing," Mutembei said.

"Scheduling even a simple case mention now takes six months. The courts are overcrowded, and advocates can't secure earlier hearing dates."

Currently, only two magistrates remain to manage the significant backlog of land, criminal, and other cases at the Maua station. The lawyers estimate that at least seven magistrates are needed to clear the caseload. They claim that the overworked magistrates are at risk of burnout.

"The two magistrates here are overwhelmed," Mutembei added. "They are overworked and falling ill because of the immense workload." He vowed that advocates would cease attending court in Meru County starting January 15 unless the issue is resolved.

The association has called on the Chief Registrar to intervene and urgently assign additional magistrates to the station. Mutembei criticised the Judicial Service Commission, describing the lack of action as "neglecting a busy station."

George Gikonyo, another advocate, noted that the current magistrates are working long hours, sometimes until 6 p.m., in an attempt to manage the backlog.

"This situation is untenable," Gikonyo said, adding, "Both advocates and justice seekers are bearing the brunt of this crisis."

He added that Maua is one of the oldest judicial stations in the county and handles numerous unresolved cases, further noting the need for immediate staffing solutions to ensure timely justice for the region's residents.