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{
    "id": 590918,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/590918/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 218,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Chebet",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 550,
        "legal_name": "Susan Kipketer Chebet",
        "slug": "susan-kipketer-chebet"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I will support this Bill if it is going to solve some of the problems that we have faced before. We know that our judicial services from Independence up to now have faced a lot of challenges in interpretation, understanding and judicial organisation. So, this Bill that has come at this moment is going to solve some of these problems. One of the problems is the way the Court of Appeal is stationed in Nairobi. Most of our people find it hard to go to the Court of Appeal. If this Bill is going to allow the opening of stations in the entire country, then it is going to be easy for our people to access justice. Justice is a very important issue for the weak and the mighty and if it is dispensed properly, it is going to satisfy the needs of everybody. This Bill will harmonise the languages used in our judicial system, whether it is English or Kiswahili; and the interpretation that goes with it, including the sign language. This way, it will be good for us. The other issue is on the court registry. It should be reorganized and automated so that we do not continue to suffer from the loss of files. When people seek justice in our courts, the first thing they encounter is the loss of files and information. If we can automate the registry services, then it is going to be easy for us to access justice. Sometimes there are delays in courts especially in land issues. We have land cases which have lasted for several years. I know of cases where people who are seeking justice are the second generation because the first generation waited for justice until they passed on. The second generation is dealing with the issue now and we are not sure whether the case is going to be concluded in their lifetime. It is something crucial and this Bill should address it. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have also had problems in the transfer of judges and when they go on leave and work is left unattended. It is one of the things that deny people justice. The division of the court is one of the good things in this Bill. This will ensure that we have one division dealing with land issues, the other with environment, and the other one dealing with social issues. Once we have those divisions, then seeking justice will become faster. I would also like to point out the issue of judges going on retirement. The other day, we witnessed some judges who went to court to seek justice because they felt they were retired prematurely. I hope that even if it is not addressed here, that some policy will be put in place so that when judges reach a certain age, they can either work on contract or have their retirement age extended, as long they are can work. When Kriegler came here, he was not a very young person, but he did very good work for Kenyans when we were in dilemma during the post-election violence reconciliation process."
}