CJ Mutunga warns corrupt judicial Officers

Kisumu, Kenya: Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga has announced that he will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against any officer engaging in corruption.

Speaking Friday at the opening ceremony of Kisumu Law courts in the Lakeside City,the Chief Justice alluded inadequate court infrastructure to official neglect and internal corruption.

“We have attempted to confront both since I gave the nation a status report on the Judiciary after 120 days in office in October 2011.” Said Mutunga.

He asked the public to support judiciary in the fight against graft by paying attention to the quality and pace of the construction activities going on in their localities.

Dr.Mutunga who pledged to complete eight stalled court construction projects in Malindi, Busia, Migori, Sirisia, Naivasha,Narok, Gatundu and Kisumu, said he was pleased by the progress noting that only Narok law courts are remaining and has promised to complete them by the end of the financial year.

On the decentralization of the Court of Appeal, Mutunga said that his institution has stationed permanent judges in stations such as Kisumu which he commended for exemplary leadership that has seen 270 cases concluded since its establishment.

“My ambition is to reduce the waiting period even for the most complex Court of Appeal matters to less than six months.” Stated Mutunga.

He also directed judges, magisatrates and staff that will occupy the new facilities in Kisumu to draw up a comprehensive justice@last programme that will cover all the courts in the region an initiative that already began in other parts of the country in a bid to clear pending old cases.

“Citizens cannot wait any longer and we must rise to the occasion.”said the CJ.