Judiciary budgets for enhanced security in courts as business community offers to rebuild torched court » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 10 — The Judiciary has allocated funds to enhance security at court premises across the country in response to recent attacks on judicial infrastructure, even as the business community in Kikuyu steps in to rebuild the Kikuyu Law Courts, which were razed down during last month’s anti-government protests.

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfrida Mokaya announced the measures during a visit to the Kikuyu and Dagoretti Law Courts on Thursday, where she assessed ongoing recovery efforts following the violence that erupted during the June 25 demonstrations.

“We have set aside a budget to enhance the security of the courts so that the premises can be protected and both the officers and the public accessing the courts can be assured of their safety,” Mokaya stated.

She noted that operations at Dagoretti Law Courts—also damaged during the unrest—had been temporarily relocated to Kibera Law Courts to ensure uninterrupted service to the public.

At Kikuyu, where the damage was more extensive, Mokaya welcomed the swift response from local stakeholders, including the Court Users Committee (CUC) and the business community, who have pledged to fully reconstruct the facility within 30 days.

“We are pleased that the business community and the CUC have taken up the task to rebuild the court. They have given us their word that within 30 days, the court will be complete and fully operational,” she said, adding that the Judiciary will also contribute funds to ensure the new facility is fully equipped for use.

Mokaya praised the dedication of Judiciary staff and the local community, emphasizing that partnerships between the Judiciary and the public were crucial in safeguarding access to justice.

“This really is to appreciate the fact that the Judiciary can partner with the community to ensure justice is delivered to the people. It is a strong show of resilience and solidarity,” she said.

Her remarks echoed those made by Chief Justice Martha Koome following her own visit to the Kikuyu Law Courts two weeks earlier, where she condemned the attacks as a direct affront to the rule of law.

“These attacks are an affront to the Constitution and the rule of law. They severely compromise the Judiciary’s ability to deliver justice, disrupt the administration of justice for ordinary Kenyans, and undermine our ongoing efforts to expand access to justice, particularly for the marginalised and vulnerable,” Koome said on June 26.

Koome expressed her condolences to families affected by the protests and reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to restoring services and protecting its infrastructure in coordination with security agencies.

The Chief Justice warned that while Article 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to assemble, this right must be exercised peacefully and “does not extend to acts that cause harm, destroy property, or endanger lives.”

According to the Judiciary Police Unit, court stations in Kikuyu, Dagoretti, and Ol-Kalou were attacked during the demonstrations.

The Kikuyu Law Courts suffered the most serious damage, having been completely destroyed by fire.

Koome described the destruction of courts as a major setback, especially for underserved communities, noting that court infrastructure is costly and takes years to develop.