Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has gazetted a Taskforce mandated to develop a policy to mainstream into the formal justice system traditional, informal and other mechanisms used to access to justice in Kenya.
The Taskforce has been been given the duty of formulating an appropriate judicial policy on Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) and to consider the methodology and viability of mainstreaming the same.
The move is in line with Constitution that provides for alternative forms of dispute resolution mechanisms, including traditional approaches, as long as they do not contravene the Bill of Rights, are not repugnant to justice or morality or inconsistent with the Constitution or any written law.
The 19-member taskforce whose secretariat will be based at the Judiciary Training Institute (JTI) will be chaired by Justice Prof Joel Ngugi.
The other members are as follows:
1. Hon. Justice Joseph Sergon – Judiciary
2. Hon. Clara Otieno-Omondi – Judiciary/JTI
3. Hon. Florence Macharia – Judiciary
4. Hon. Peter Mulwa – Judiciary/RMC
5. Hon. Joan Irura – Judiciary
6. Dr. Masha Baraza – Judiciary/ODCJ
7. Dr. Steve Ouma Akoth – Pamoja Trust – Vice Chair
8. Mr. Katto Wambua – ODPP
9. Tom Chavangi – National Land Commission
10. Sheikh Ahmed Set – National Council of Elders
11. Jedidah Wakonyo – KNHR
12. James Aggrey Adoli – Director, Community Policing
13. Morris Kimuli – LSK
14. Linet Njeri – Strathmore Law School
15. Anita Nyanjong – ICJ-Kenya
16. A representative from FIDA-Kenya
17. A representative from Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)
18. Maina S.N. Njema