Matiang'i promises to assist judiciary staff with houses

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi.[Sammy Omingo,Standard]

The Ministry of Interior has pledged to release houses in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa to judges and other Judiciary staff.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i told a meeting of National Council of Administration of Justice that the government will support the Judiciary’s infrastructure requirements.

He was speaking during a function where Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery (PLEAD) donated 444 laptops, 106 printers, 37 scanners and 12 video conferencing equipment to support digitalisation and delivery of justice through virtual hearings.

Matiang'i further said the Executive will not interfere with judicial independence but said all agencies must work closely together to ensure justice for the Kenyan citizens.

The CS, however, challenged courts to make quick decisions on outstanding issues, particularly when a protection order is provided.

At the same time, Chief Justice Martha Koome said her objective was to see increased collaboration and cooperation in Judiciary in order to expedite service delivery and ease backlog of cases.

She said the Judiciary cannot deliver justice alone and called for inter-agency support, coordination and cooperation.

“This does not mean that our agencies are not independent, but it is out of the reality that it is only through coordination of our activities that we can attain efficiency and resolve systemic problems in the pursuit of our common goal of effective delivery of services to Kenyans,” she said.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak urged the CJ decentralise anti-corruption registries to ease the fight against corruption.

During the same function, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji said 141 graft cases are pending before anti-corruption courts, with the oldest case having been in court for the last 14 years.

Attorney General Kihara Kariuki asked the CJ to appoint a task force under the guidance of his office to formulate a Bill to guide in the establishment of the National Council of Administration of Justice as an independent institution.