99 magistrates sworn in after 1,700 lawyers compete for jobs

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Chief Justice Martha Koome has sworn in 99 newly recruited resident magistrates, describing their appointment as a rare honour that comes with a lifelong duty to uphold justice, integrity, and professionalism.

The judicial officers were selected from more than 1,700 advocates who applied for 100 available positions, making the recruitment one of the most competitive in the Judiciary’s recent history.

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony, Ms Koome told the new magistrates that their role places them at the frontline of the justice system.

“Your appointment reflects the confidence and trust placed in you by the nation to serve as custodians of justice and guardians of the rule of law,” she said.

The Chief Justice noted that Magistrates’ Courts and Small Claims Courts are often the public’s first encounter with the Judiciary, meaning the conduct of magistrates shapes how citizens perceive justice in Kenya.

Many litigants who appear before these courts are unrepresented, she said, making professionalism, fairness and patience essential.

“The experience of justice for many Kenyans is shaped by how they are treated in your courtrooms,” Ms Koome told the officers.

She urged them to embrace civility, collegiality, intellectual curiosity, impartiality and independence as guiding values throughout their careers.

The Chief Justice also linked their work to the Judiciary’s reform agenda under the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) blueprint, which seeks to improve service delivery and clear longstanding case backlogs.

Under the plan, the Judiciary aims to ensure no case remains in a Magistrate’s Court for more than three years, while disputes filed in Small Claims Courts should be resolved within 60 days.

Ms Koome said recent data showed progress in tackling delays.

“For the first time since we began tracking the metric, Magistrates’ Courts achieved a case clearance rate of 104 per cent, meaning we resolved more cases than were filed,” she said.

The Chief Justice called on the new judicial officers to adopt active case management and strict docket control to maintain momentum in clearing backlogs.

She also reiterated the Judiciary’s “no adjournment” policy, warning that unnecessary delays erode public confidence in the justice system.

On ethics, Ms Koome reminded the magistrates that judicial independence must be exercised with integrity and accountability, adding that the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission maintain zero tolerance for corruption.

“As ambassadors of the Judiciary’s transformation agenda, you represent the foremost point of contact between the justice system and the ordinary citizen,” she said.

The swearing-in ceremony forms part of an induction programme organised by the Kenya Judiciary Academy and the Office of the Registrar of Magistrates, designed to equip the officers with the skills needed to handle cases in both Magistrates’ Courts and Small Claims Courts.

Their deployment is expected to boost access to justice and ease pressure on courts across the country.