Chief Registrar Mokaya Announces Measures To Address Laxity, Corruption In Judiciary

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Winfridah Mokaya, has introduced new measures to tackle inefficiency, policy breaches, and corruption complaints in the management of court stations and administrative units.

In a memo dated December 19, 2024, addressed to registrars, station heads, deputy registrars, and directors of units, Mokaya expressed concern over widespread laxity in service delivery and breaches of integrity, which she said have led to numerous complaints, including inappropriate court rulings.

“This memo serves as a reminder that you hold primary and personal responsibility for the management of human capital and processes under your supervision,” the memo stated.

Advocates, including Nelson Havi, recently raised concerns about corruption and forgeries in courts, particularly regarding rulings on title deeds.

Measures Announced

Mokaya directed all judicial officers and staff to wear identification badges while on duty to improve transparency. Court users and visitors will also be issued badges to enhance accountability.

She stressed the importance of adhering to turnaround timelines outlined in Service Delivery Charters, particularly for issuing court proceedings, decrees, orders, and processing refund deposits.

“A number of concerns that can be addressed at the station level are unnecessarily escalated to headquarters due to lack of or delayed response. It is prudent that concerns raised at the station level are addressed formally within the set timeline,” Mokaya said.

Heads of stations and deputy registrars are now required to submit quarterly reports on issues raised in Bar-Bench meetings and detail actions taken to address them. They are also expected to maintain leave rosters for judicial officers and staff to ensure proper workforce management.

Mokaya emphasized that all training activities must be planned and processed through the Judicial Academy. Additionally, every court station must have a staffed and functional customer care desk equipped with a feedback collection mechanism to manage visitors effectively.

Regular Leadership and Team Management (LTM) meetings must be held at all court stations, with integrity as a standing agenda item. Mokaya instructed that complaints related to integrity be addressed at the LTM level first, with appropriate actions taken promptly.