Solve our strike urgently, Kisii lawyers tell Mutunga
A litigant Namson Ombui plead with Kisii High Court striking lawyers to end their strike for the sake of their cases outside the law courts July 29.Photo/File
Striking lawyers in Kisii yesterday asked Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to end the three-month boycott. Law Society of Kenya Kisii secretary Gideon Nyambati said the strike has denied their clients justice. “We will not call off the strike unless the CJ acts swiftly to end the three-month impasse that has paralysed business in the High Court,” Nyambati said.
Nyambati expressed optimism that the CJ will post new judges to the station.
The lawyers want resident judges Ruth Sitati and Roselyn Korir transferred because of their alleged failure to dispense justice. The lawyers went on strike on July 8 claiming justices Sitati and Korir have been overwhelmed with more than 3,000 cases pending trial and over 400 rulings and judgments.
“The judge (Korir) was given more than two months by the CJ to write, deliver rulings and judgments but the period has since lapsed without meeting the deadline,” Nyambati said. On July 18, Mutunga directed Korir to deal with pending rulings and judgments before September 14.
Justice Korir, who reported back to work from the annual vacation, has been in her chambers since Monday because the lawyers insist they will not attend sessions. High Court deputy registrar Lucy Kaithanyi she has not received communication from the headquarters in regards to the strike.
“I am not authorised to speak on such matters but I will contact the headquarters. The lawyers have not issued any notice about the same,” she said. The court serves Nyamira, Kisii, Homa Bay and Migori counties and Trans Mara district.