Senior Counsel Nelson Havi has sharply criticised Chief Justice Martha Koome following her latest push to expand Alternative Justice Systems (AJS), accusing the Judiciary of neglecting core institutional failures while pursuing what he termed “irrelevant projects.”
Koome on Tuesday announced the launch of an AJS Suite in Kisii, describing it as part of the Judiciary’s broader effort to decentralise justice and enhance access at the grassroots.
She said the initiative would allow communities to resolve disputes through dialogue, reconciliation and restorative mechanisms outside formal court processes.
“AJS is a key part of the Judiciary’s Social Transformation through Access to Justice Blueprint, ensuring that justice is not only accessible, but also timely, affordable and responsive to the needs of our communities,” Koome stated.
“We are taking justice beyond courtrooms and closer to the people we serve,” she added.
However, Havi, a former president of the Law Society of Kenya, dismissed the initiative, accusing the Judiciary leadership of misallocating public resources while deeper governance concerns remain unresolved.
“Madam CJ, you are busy spending public funds in irrelevant projects whilst scoundrels in your office at the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission are appointing magistrates into office from candidates who never qualified in the interviews in the first place,” Havi said in a strongly worded statement.
He further alleged irregularities in the recruitment and appointment processes within the Judiciary, questioning the credibility of ongoing reforms.
“And then you will come to us asking for evidence of corruption in the shortlisting and appointment of judges and magistrates,” he added.
“It is improbable that you would know these obvious violations when you spend all your time with witchcraft practitioners in the guise of AJS instead of bettering access to and delivery of justice in courts.”
Havi’s remarks introduce fresh tension in an already contested debate over the Judiciary’s reform agenda, particularly the balance between formal court processes and traditional or community-based dispute resolution systems.
The Judiciary has consistently defended AJS as a constitutionally recognised framework aimed at reducing case backlog and improving access to justice, especially in rural areas where formal legal systems may be less accessible.