LSK President Faith Odhiambo Extends Congratulations to 20 New High Court Judges”

The President of the Law Society of Kenya Faith Odhiambo has taken a moment to congratulate new judges.

“Congratulations to the 20 new High Court Judges. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Wear it with honour, valour, and integrity!”

Twenty High Court Judges took their Oaths of Office Tuesday morning in a ceremony presided over by President William Ruto and were entasked with embarking on a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) in seven divisions of the High Court at Milimani Law Courts to clear 12,000 cases within the next six months.

In the second phase of the RRI, they will target courts in the wider Nairobi Metropolitan Area, which accounts for 30 per cent of the national case backlog, with the aim of resolving an additional 9,417 cases.

As at 30th March 2024, the total pending cases before the High Court were 68,121 cases. This means that the case load per Judge is 873 cases.

In line with the increased resolution of cases, they’ll also be expected to address prison congestion by deploying the judges to oversee Community Service Orders, to reduce the population of inmates.

Kenyan prisons are currently holding 62,639 inmates, significantly exceeding the capacity of 30,000. Through a Rapid Results Initiative for Community Service Orders, the judges are expected to review sentences for those convicted for minor offences to align the inmate population capacity at the facilities.