The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) has urged the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to reconsider its planned nationwide and targeted boycott of court proceedings.
In a statement on July 21, KMJA also expressed concern over the LSK’s targeted boycott of specific judicial officers, noting that several of those named, including some members of the Supreme Court bench, have matters currently before courts of competent jurisdiction.
“We are also concerned, respectfully, about the specific form the targeted boycott has taken. Several of the judicial officers named in the Society’s list, including members of the Supreme Court bench, are presently before courts of competent jurisdiction exercising their lawful right to be heard on matters that remain sub judice,” read part of the statement.
On calls to publish individual judicial performance data, KMJA said it supports transparency but has asked Chief Justice Martha Koome to ensure publication is deferred until the Case Weighting Study and digitization of the Case Tracking System are completed to guarantee fair and comparable data.
Judges Raise Concerns Over LSK’s Boycott Plan
The association argued that directing advocates not to appear before judges who are exercising their constitutional right to seek legal redress could be perceived as an attempt to influence ongoing proceedings and would be inconsistent with the Constitution, which safeguards judicial independence.
On allegations of corruption and misconduct within the Judiciary, KMJA reiterated its zero-tolerance stance and supported prompt and impartial investigations into any credible complaints.
However, it urged the LSK to submit evidence-backed complaints through the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Office of the Judiciary Ombudsman instead of publicly naming judicial officers before formal investigations are conducted.
Also Read: Lawyers Announce Nationwide Court Boycott, Target Judges Blocking EACC Investigations
The association also acknowledged that case backlog remains a challenge but said it stems from multiple factors requiring coordinated action by the Judiciary, advocates, prosecutors, investigators and other justice sector institutions.
It cited ongoing reforms, including digitization of court processes, automation of registries, active case management, expansion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms and continuous performance monitoring, as part of efforts to improve efficiency.
The association proposed urgent dialogue between the Judiciary and the LSK through the National Council on the Administration of Justice, Court Users Committees or a dedicated Bench-Bar meeting.
It further called on advocates to continue representing their clients while discussions continue, stressing that litigants’ constitutional rights should not be compromised by actions that disrupt or delay court proceedings.
Also Read: Martha Koome Counters LSK Over Rogue Judges Boycott as Showdown Looms
LSK President Speaks
LSK President Charles Kanjama said the listed judges are associated with court cases that halted disciplinary proceedings by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and blocked criminal investigations involving judicial officers.
In an interview on July 21, Kanjama said that the boycott is intended to push for reforms aimed at strengthening judicial accountability and restoring public confidence in the administration of justice.
Under the directive, advocates will not appear before the affected judges, except to seek fresh hearing dates or extend existing interim court orders.
Kanjama said the decision was informed by long-standing concerns over registry inefficiencies, administrative delays and alleged corruption, which he argued have hindered lawyers’ ability to effectively represent their clients.
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