Judiciary in North Rift Working With CUC to Embrace Alternative Justice System

Judiciary in North Rift is working together with Court Users Committee (CUC) together with other stakeholders in embracing the Alternative Justice System (AJS) in settling succession disputes among other cases.

The move is aimed at reducing backlog of cases in the region.

Regional presiding judge Reuben Nyakundi urged all stakeholders to work together with the judiciary in identifying cases which can be solved through AJS.

Justice Nyakundi noted that if Kenyans will make proper use of AJS resources wasted by families seeking justice especially in matters of boundary dispute and many succession cases will be saved for other viable uses.

Addressing AJS stakeholders meeting in an Eldoret hotel Justice Nyakundi regretted that some succession cases are dragging in courts for years yet families can sit and solve the cases under AJS.

“I urge all stakeholders to work together in promoting AJS.We need to capacity build all stakeholders to promote the alternative justice system to help our society.

Justice Nyakundi said there is a need to create awareness by educating the entire society on AJS since the law acknowledges use of AJS in settling specific cases.

According to justice Nyakundi, AJS is the vibrant avenue that would enable more Kenyans to access justice on time.

The Uasin Gishu AJS committee spearheaded by Centre for Human Rights and Mediation (CHRD) hailed Justice Nyakundi for working with other stakeholders through AJS to ensure access to justice to all Kenyans.

CHRD CEO Nick Omito said AJS will greatly help in reducing the number of people being jailed for petty crimes hence reducing congestion in prisons.

Omito said there is a need for the judiciary to work with council of elders, National government officers including village elders to make AJS a success.

“For AJS to succeed we need incorporate all stakeholders including council of elders for proper guidance on how the society want AJS handled for entire society to embrace the system,” said Omito

Omito said that his organization will continue working with the judiciary to capacity build all stakeholders involved in AJS.

In May this year Chief Justice Martha Koome said that Judiciary was planning to close all succession cases by the end of the year and refer them to AJS.

All stakeholders involved in facilitating the success of AJS are of the opinion that AJS and Small Claims Court would enable many Kenyans access to justice through an inexpensive and expeditious informal process.

Eldoret religious organizations hailed the role AJS has started playing in solving cases through AJS.

Reverend Peter Mbithi who is a representative of religious leaders said due to the participatory nature of AJS many pending cases in courts will be solved through the system.

Bishop Mbithi urged all religious leaders to use places of worship to create awareness about AJS as well as existence of Small Claims Courts as a creation of judiciary targeting to facilitate access to justice for all Kenyans.