Chief Justice Martha Koome.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has gazetted new Court of Appeal stations and additional Small Claims Courts.
In a statement on Monday, March 9, the Judiciary said the move aimed at expanding access to justice across the country.
CJ Koome established a Court of Appeal at Kakamega Law Courts and another at Meru, sitting at Nkubu Law Courts.
The new stations increase the total number of Court of Appeal stations in the country to eight. Other stations are located in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kisumu, and Eldoret.
The CJ also established a Court of Appeal Sub-Registry at the Embu Law Courts in line with the Court of Appeal (Organization and Administration) Act. The total number of Sub-Registries is now five.
“The establishment of additional Court of Appeal stations in the country is part of ongoing efforts to decentralize appellate services and enhance access to justice. The expansion is expected to reduce distances travelled by litigants, advocates and other court users to access courts.
“The move will also reduce costs for litigants seeking appellate justice, particularly in the Eastern and Western regions of the country,” read the press statement.
Koome also scaled up the reach of the Small Claims Court in the country by establishing new courts in Maua, Mumias, Molo, Kapsabet, Ngong, Kenol, Kiambu, Mavoko, Makueni, Kilifi, Kikuyu, Vihiga, Homa Bay, Bungoma, and Nyamira.
The additional stations bring the total number of Small Claims Courts in the country to 55, significantly increasing access to fast, affordable, and simplified resolution of commercial and civil disputes involving relatively low monetary value.
The Judiciary said the expansion reflects its commitment to bringing justice closer to the people while strengthening efficient service delivery through specialised courts and decentralized judicial infrastructure.
“By increasing the number of appellate and small claims court stations, the Judiciary aims to ease case backlog, improve turnaround time, and ensure that Kenyans can access justice more conveniently, within their local jurisdictions,” the statement added.
