The Chief Justice of Kenya, Martha Koome, has established Small Claims Courts in several counties, effective March 2, 2026, under the Small Claims Court Act, 2016 (Cap. 10A).
The move, according to a gazette notice published on March 6, aims to provide faster, more accessible, and affordable avenues for resolving minor civil disputes, particularly for ordinary citizens and small businesses.
“IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 4 (2) of the Small Claims Court Act, 2016, the Chief Justice has established Small Claims Court to exercise jurisdiction in the designated counties, with effect from the 2nd March 2026,” read part of the notice.
Martha Koome Establishes 14 Small Claims Courts Across Kenya
According to a notice dated Friday, March 6, the newly established Small Claims Courts will operate in the following counties and locations:
| Court | County |
| Maua Law Courts | Meru |
| Mumias Law Courts | Kakamega |
| Molo Law Courts | Nakuru |
| Kapsabet Law Courts | Nandi |
| Ngong Law Courts | Kajiado |
| Kenol Law Courts | Murang’a |
| Kiambu Law Courts | Kiambu |
| Mavoko Law Courts | Machakos |
| Makueni Law Courts | Makueni |
| Kilifi Law Courts | Kilifi |
| Kikuyu Law Courts | Kiambu |
| Vihiga Law Courts | Vihiga |
| Homabay Law Courts | Homabay |
| Bungoma Law Courts | Bungoma |
| Nyamira Law Courts | Nyamira |
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Lawyer Files Petition Over Judiciary’s Failure to Establish Small Claims Courts Nationwide
A Nairobi-based lawyer filed a petition in the High Court on October 11, 2025, seeking to compel Chief Justice Martha Koome to expedite the establishment of Small Claims Courts across Kenya, alleging that she had failed to fulfill her statutory obligations under the Small Claims Court Act of 2016.
The petitioner, Sunday Memba, claimed that the Judiciary’s slow progress in setting up these courts had denied citizens their constitutional right to accessible justice.
According to the petition, the Judiciary had operationalized only 39 Small Claims Courts out of the 337 mandated by law, covering just 11.5 % of the required total.
Memba argued that 298 sub-counties had no access to these specialized courts, which are designed to handle claims below KSh1 million.
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He argued that the current pace of establishing approximately four courts per year would delay full compliance until 2097, a timeline he deems unacceptable.
Memba further criticized the Chief Justice for gazetting the Small Claims Courts at the county level rather than the sub-county level, as required by Section 11 of the Act, contending that this decision undermines equal access to justice by creating larger, more uneven territorial jurisdictions.
The lawyer asked the court to declare that Chief Justice Martha Koome has violated her constitutional and statutory duties by failing to establish the required courts.
Additionally, he requested an order compelling her to set up Small Claims Courts in all sub-counties within six months. Memba also called for the appointment of qualified part-time adjudicators, as provided under Section 6(6) of the Act, to accelerate the rollout and ensure efficient delivery of justice.
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