Amkeni Wakenya

Chief Justice calls for More Cooperation between Civil Society and the Judiciary

Posted at Jul 08, 2011

Nairobi, Friday 8th July , 2011

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has called for a consolidation of relationships between civil society and the judiciary for the advancement of justice.  Speaking Thursday night in Nairobi,  during the  38th Anniversary for  Kituo Cha  Sheria, Dr Mutunga noted that  the cause of justice will be best served  if civil  society  explored  other  strategies of  working  with the judiciary  other than the traditional protests.

The  Chairman of the Kenya  Magistrates  and Judges Association (KMJA) Justice  Isaac  Lenaola,  and  member of the Judicial Service Commission   noted that  the head  and deputy  head of the Judiciary hails from the civil society sector and it is imperative  for civil society to  recognize   opportunities for  engagement.While commending the  JSC  in the open manner  in which they have conducted interviews for  positions  within the judiciary, the Executive Director of Kituo Cha Sheria(  Centre for  Legal Empowerment  )

Miss  Priscilla Nyokabi  decried the adversarial  trend  that  some  of the  interviews had taken. ‘’ Candidates for position in the judiciary are not suspects,’’ she added. She called for a more fair and just process that is mindful of the candidate’s dignity.    

Presiding over the function, Prof Shadrack Gutto noted that Kituo Cha Sheria, founded in 1973 was one of the pioneer civil society organizations that championed the cause of access to justice, especially to the poor and marginalized.

Indeed, a large  cross section of Kenyans, he noted,   are still unable to  have their  disputes on land, inheritance and labour  matters resolved in a satisfactory y manner as the country still lacks comprehensive  national legal aid  scheme.

Prof Gutto called for the overhaul of oppressive systems that continue to consign a majority to hopeless pit of poverty while a minority few in the governing class plunders the resources of the country.He called on those committed to the cause of  justice to recognize that  democracy  is a journey  and to remain vigilant even as  we celebrate the new Constitutional dispensation, warning that there  are many  in the political class that would want to continue  depriving the poor  of their  resources. 

Kituo Cha Sheria is one of the Amkeni Wakenya and is implementing n access to justice   project in prisons in Kenya. Other  present  in the celebrations include Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, Chairperson  of Kituo Cha  Sheria  Mr  Ken  Nyaundi , Judges Mary Anga’wa and Jackton Ojwang among other  distinguished  guets.
 By Rebecca Muniu