Court of Appeal President Justice Daniel Musinga has pledged sweeping reforms to address delays and inefficiencies in Kenya’s appellate court system, following concerns raised by senior lawyer and former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi.
In a candid letter to Havi, Justice Musinga acknowledged significant administrative and capacity challenges facing the Court of Appeal, especially at the Nairobi station, which currently handles an estimated 50 appeals and urgent applications each week. With only two or three benches available to hear matters, he admitted the workload was “rather overwhelming” and called for urgent intervention.
To ease the burden, Musinga revealed that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is set to appoint 15 additional judges. This, he said, would substantially improve the court’s efficiency and reduce the time taken to determine appeals and applications. He also announced a review of the Court of Appeal Rules, which, along with increased judicial capacity, is expected to fast-track the delivery of justice.
Justice Musinga further committed to streamlining administrative processes, particularly automating the fixing of hearing dates, a move he said would enhance fairness and transparency in court operations.
He set ambitious targets for the judiciary: all urgent applications should be determined within 60 days, and all appeals concluded within a year. These goals, he emphasized, are achievable with the proposed reforms and expanded bench strength.
The Judge also expressed his intention to meet with stakeholders including the LSK leadership, senior legal practitioners, and other court users on September 12 to explore more strategies for enhancing service delivery in the coming term.
Havi, responding to the letter on X (formerly Twitter), lauded Musinga’s leadership, saying, “Another public officer who understands the magnitude of his responsibilities. We are proud of him.”
This exchange underscores a renewed commitment to judicial reform and responsiveness, offering hope to litigants and legal practitioners long burdened by case backlogs and procedural delays in the Court of Appeal.
