Nakuru Advocates Boycott Courts In Push For Judicial Reforms

By Elijah Cherutich

Lawyers in Nakuru stayed away from court proceedings on Wednesday as advocates across Kenya began a nationwide boycott called by the Law Society of Kenya over alleged corruption, case delays and failures in judicial accountability.

Advocates gathered outside the Nakuru Law Courts early in the morning, disrupting some scheduled proceedings. They also confronted a judicial officer who continued presiding over cases despite the protest.

The one-day nationwide boycott is part of a broader campaign announced by the LSK on July 17. The society has also called for an indefinite boycott of courts presided over by judicial officers it accuses of obtaining orders that prevent the Judicial Service Commission or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission from processing complaints against them.

Speaking outside the Nakuru courts, LSK Nakuru branch chairperson Wangare Mwangi said the protest came at a time when public confidence in the Judiciary had been damaged by allegations against judicial officers.

“We are fighting for everyone today,” Mwangi said. “For far too long, the Judiciary has gotten away with impunity, corruption allegations and complaints from members of the public and the Bar. We are fighting to ensure that there is sanity.”

Mwangi said advocates were prepared to sustain pressure until their concerns were addressed and confidence in the justice system restored.

She criticised judicial officers who dismissed matters after lawyers failed to appear because of the boycott, saying advocates would stand by the protest. The judicial officers concerned had not responded to the allegations by the time of publication.

Rift Valley LSK vice-chairperson Stephen Imbwaga said the protest was also intended to highlight what advocates described as professional incompetence and systemic inefficiencies in court administration.

Imbwaga said the broader campaign would target specific courts and judicial officers whom the society wants investigated and, where wrongdoing is established through due process, removed from office.

He called on Chief Justice Martha Koome and the JSC to address complaints against judicial officers and restore public confidence in the institution.

“We shall continue to fight for the rights of Kenyans, especially those who are voiceless and have lost hope in this judicial system, because we believe all is not lost,” Imbwaga said.

Advocate Bernhard Kipkoech Ngetich urged the JSC to expedite complaints placed before it and ensure they were heard and determined. He said officers found culpable after investigations should be removed from service.

The allegations against individual judicial officers have not been independently established, and those facing complaints are entitled to due process.

The Judiciary rejected the boycott before it began and said all courts would remain open on Wednesday. Judiciary spokesperson Paul Ndemo said the action was neither appropriate nor proportionate and would mainly harm litigants whose cases were scheduled for hearing. He urged court users to attend as planned.

The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association also asked the LSK to reconsider the protest and pursue dialogue. Association president Justice Peter Mulwa acknowledged concerns about accountability, delayed decisions, registry inefficiencies and case management but said disrupting proceedings would hurt people seeking justice.

The Nakuru protest left some litigants without representation and created uncertainty over the handling of matters listed for the day. The local LSK branch did not immediately provide figures on the number of cases affected.