Kisii is in the process of formulating a localized County Action Plan on Alternative Justice Systems (AJS).
Once developed and implemented, the people-centered Plan will tap into traditionally community-based dispute resolution methods to make justice more accessible and culturally relevant.
Speaking during a three-day sensitization workshop for justice stakeholders in a Kisii hotel, the Chairman of the National Steering Committee on Implementation of AJS Justice (Prof.) Hon. Joel Ngugi noted that once implemented, the action plan that will be officially launched by the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court Hon. Martha Koome, will promote inclusive and efficient dispute resolution mechanisms.
“The AJS County Action Plan will provide a framework for the county to implement Kenya’s national AJS Policy at the local level. It will be a breakthrough when Kisii domesticates and implements the national AJS as it will empower residents to resolve disputes outside formal courts, fostering faster and less adversarial outcomes," said Prof. Ngugi.
The AJS Policy, adopted by the Judiciary, is anchored in Article 159 of the Constitution of Kenya which recognizes traditional dispute resolution mechanisms that are consistent with the Bill of Rights and the law.
Supported by the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and European Union, through the Digital Land Governance Programme, in partnership with the Kisii County Department of Lands and the AJS Secretariat, the workshop brought together justice stakeholders drawn from the Judiciary, justice chain including law enforcing officers, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), the County Government, children office, probation, National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) the Abagusii Council of elders, the civil society and community Based Organizations (CBOs).
“The stakeholders herein have looked at the AJS that are working in Kisii County and deliberated on which ones should be accelerated, the ones that need to be strengthened and the kind of policy and guideline support that the Judiciary needs to offer them to thrive,” observed Justice Ngugi who is also a judge in the Court of Appeal.
The preliminary draft of the Kisii AJS County Action Plan will undergo a validation process, engaging more community voices over the next 45 days before it is launched after it is finalized.
Kisii Presiding Judge Hon. Justice Sila Munyao, indicated that by supporting AJS, the Judiciary ensures justice processes are aligned with constitutional values such as human rights and gender equality, while encouraging community participation and ownership.
Justice Munyao encouraged local residents to continue spreading awareness about AJS and to embrace it as a viable method of conflict resolution.
Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Bernard Omwansa, who is also the Deputy Registrar AJS and Mediation, indicated that 90 percent of cases reported in court involves individuals familiar with one another, some of them related by blood or ethnic ties which makes community-centered mechanisms more effective.
Hon. Omwansa added that AJS is cost-effective, time-saving and the language used is easily understood by both parties.
The Kisii County Attorney Mr. Alfred Nyandieka noted that the sensitization workshop marked a significant step toward embedding community-driven justice mechanisms within the formal legal framework, signalling a shift toward inclusive and accessible justice for the people of Kisii County.
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