Criminals in themselves

              If ever there is a place dreaded by advocates and paralegals is the criminal registry at the Chief Magistrates Court in Eldoret. These fellows are simply criminals in themselves. The reason being that they do not care nor give a hoot on who is to be served as everyone is immersed doing something that you can’t seem to see, basically doing nothing. If your god provokes your vocal cords to ask who is to serve you –some elements- will tell you kwani sisi si watu yet someone is expected to be at the counter. Even if you found someone to help he/she would ask unataka nini hapa?  These are people who are either not motivated or are simply rude which begs the question Why is he/she paid then?.

                

               I vividly remember an incident where I had gone to file a matter (case) in the same criminal registry. I went there very early and since I was new on matters filing, especially criminal ones, as I am used to civil cases. I ended up being requested for Chai. I argued my point that I did not have any money with me, even if I had I could not have given out. To cut that long story short which was punctuated with shouting matches I was eventually helped. I then went back to where I look for my unga thought about the incident and concluded that it’s quite ironical that some court clerks in the criminal registry are indeed criminals in themselves.  

The Kenya’s Judiciary cannot easily change by merely appointing judicial officers but overhauling the whole industry; however, I cannot dispute that the desired change is within reach. With the appointment of Chief Justice and The President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kenya Dr. Willy Mutunga ,Nancy Baraza as the deputy Chief Justice the appointments of judicial officers from Supreme Court, High Court and currently awaiting for the lower courts. The next frontier is that requires a major overhaul is one handled by paralegals. The walk ahead might not be easy but I hope the Mutunga judiciary epitomizes Kenyan’s wishes.

I take this opportunity to congratulate Justice Francis Tuiyott, Justice Chemitei on their appointment to Judges of the High Court of Kenya and Roseline O. Odede on her appointment to the judges and magistrates vetting board.