By 
Chief Justice Martha Koome has Thursday reshuffled judges in the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC).
According to the CJ, the appointment of the nine new judges conforms to recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission which is aimed at addressing the backlog in the ELRC which as of June 30, 2020, stood at 12,907 cases.
Mombasa has 1,699 pending cases in the ELRC, Kisumu 971, Nakuru 691, Kericho 321, Nyeri 270 and Eldoret 103.
Out of these cases, 2,132 have been in the courts for five years and above.
In addition, Justice Koome says the reshuffle posting order carefully considers the existing gaps and targets court stations with the exacting need for new judges to clear the case backlog in the ELRC.
In light of these, Kericho now has a full-time judge of the ELRC for the first time since September 2019.
CJ Koome Reshuffles Judges In Employment And Labour Relations Court. Photo Courtesy
In other changes, Justice Onesmus Makau has been moved from Nairobi to Kericho, which was being served on the circuit by the judge in Nakuru over the past two years.
In addition, Justice Linnet Ndolo has been moved from Mombasa to Nairobi.
Justice Jemima Keli has been posted to Bungoma, Agnes Kitiku (Mombasa), Bernard Matanga (Malindi), Christine Baari (Kisumu), and David Nderitu (Nakuru).
Justice Byram Ongaya remains in Mombasa, Justice D. Marete will continue serving in Nyeri, while Justice Hellen Wasilwa will sit at the ELRC in Nakuru.
Justices Abuodha Nelson (Eldoret) and Stephen Radido (Kisumu) also continue in their stations.
However, the Principal Judge of the Court, Maureen Onyango, remains in Nairobi as well as justices Monica Mbaru, Nzioki wa Makau, Mathews Nduma, and James Rika.
The new judges to sit in Nairobi are Justices Jacob Gakeri, Stella Ruto, Ocharo Kebira, and Ann Mwaure.
The new deployments take effect on August 1, 2021.
The transfers of Justices Onesmus Makau and Linnet Ndolo will however start on September 15, 2021, to facilitate an efficient transition and allow time to conclude any part-heard matters.
The Chief Justice has issued an order to prioritize clearance of these cases in an unprecedented move by asking judges to take individual responsibility in facilitating expeditious delivery of Justice.
Comments