CJ Koome Launches Five Justice Sector Reforms at Mombasa NCAJ Meeting

Chief Justice Martha Koome on Monday launched five justice sector reforms. The launch took place during the 38th NCAJ meeting at the PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort in Mombasa.

Koome chairs the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ). She said no single institution can deliver justice on its own.

She described the country’s justice challenges as complex and interconnected.

“This is why the NCAJ exists, to bring together institutions with different mandates around one shared goal of delivering fair, timely, efficient and people-centred justice for every Kenyan,” Koome said.

The five instruments unveiled at the meeting are the Justice Sector ICT Policy and Action Plan, Standard Operating Procedures on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), the People-Centred Justice Guidelines, the People-Centred Justice Study, and Standard Operating Procedures for Service Delivery Initiatives.

Koome said the documents show what coordinated collaboration can achieve. She called them evidence of how far the justice sector reforms have advanced.

She added that the public experiences the justice system as one chain, not as separate institutions. The effectiveness of investigation, prosecution, adjudication, legal aid, corrections, probation and rehabilitation is deeply interconnected, she said.

A weakness in one part, therefore, affects confidence in the whole system.

Digital transformation and data sharing

On technology, Koome said the justice sector must adapt to a digital society. Secure information sharing, data governance and evidence-based decisions now depend on it, she said.

She pointed to several milestones. These include integration of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Uadilifu system with the Judiciary’s Case Tracking System.

They also include new digital accounts for the Kenya Prisons Service, plus integration with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) for vehicle verification.

Work is also under way to connect with the Ministry of Lands’ Ardhi Sasa platform, the Probation Service and the Department of Children’s Services, she said.

Confidential digital accounts have additionally been set up for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). Similar integration is under way for the Witness Protection Agency.

Koome called for live demonstrations of the systems. She urged institutions to fully adopt electronically authenticated documents, to cut paperwork and delays.

People-centred justice focus

Koome said the People-Centred Justice Guidelines, together with the accompanying study, shift the focus away from institutional performance and case statistics.

Instead, they centre the actual experience of people seeking justice. Consequently, the new approach asks whether services are understandable, accessible, affordable, inclusive and responsive to citizens’ needs.

“Kenya is positioning itself among jurisdictions that treat people-centred justice as a core reform principle,” she said.

She also highlighted the Standard Operating Procedures for Service Delivery Initiatives. These, she said, will help institutions move beyond one-off outreach events.

 Instead, they can build sustained, coordinated programmes. Furthermore, she commended NCAJ committees, the secretariat, justice-sector institutions and development partners for developing the documents through consultation.

However, she cautioned that the justice sector reforms will only matter if implementation is effective.

Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond

Across the two-day meeting, the council also deliberated on the Draft Sexual Offences Amendment Bill.

Discussions focused partly on strengthening responses to femicide. Members also reviewed progress on instant traffic fines and coordination against wildlife crime.

Additionally, they discussed preparations for the 2027 general election, identification parade procedures, and national guidelines for interviewing children in the justice system.

Other agenda items included a legal aid strategy for court users’ committees, the open prison model, and recovery treatment courts for offenders with substance-use disorders.

On the criminal justice pipeline, Koome directed the committee on criminal justice reforms to finalise a training manual for handling youth offenders.

She also said the NCAJ Strategic Plan (2026–2030) is nearing completion. She invited institutions to submit feedback on the plan.

“Success will be measured not by the number of policies or meetings held, but by the real improvements experienced by ordinary Kenyans who rely on the justice system every day,” Koome said.