[PHOTOS] Launch of 2022/27 Judicial service strategic plan

Chief Justice Martha Koome has on Friday launched the Judicial Service Commission’s Strategic Plan 2022-2027 and the Revised Judicial Service (Code of Conduct and Ethics) Regulations 2020.

This marks new dawn given it’s the first SP for the Commission since the country attained independence.

During the event that took place at the Kempinski Hotel, the CJ said JSC has taken the bold step of embracing a planning culture to re-engineer the Commission’s processes and work methodologies to meet the demands of the country's operating environment.

This is to ensure responsiveness to the expectations of the Kenyan people who are our greatest stakeholders.

"The Strategic Plan is focused on enhancing the agility of the JSC and signals that we are embarking on a journey of re-engineering the Commission’s processes to enhance their responsiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, and quality," Koome said.

She added, "We will work with our stakeholders to realise the efficient, effective and accountable administration of justice; motivated, professional, dynamic and responsive Judges, Judicial Officers and Judiciary staff."

Other key result areas are a financially independent and sustainable Judiciary and JSC; increased public confidence and trust in the JSC and Judiciary; and strengthening the institutional capacity of the JSC.

Koome also said that protection of the rule of law and enforcement of fundamental rights and freedoms are dependent on having an independent Judiciary.

"The Commission will therefore remain firm and steadfast in safeguarding the decisional autonomy of Judges and Judicial Officers," she said.

She added that the revised Code of Conduct and Ethics enumerates the values and standards of conduct in a clear and comprehensible manner to guide the behaviour and conduct of Judges, Judicial Officers and Judiciary staff.

"I want to reiterate that fostering integrity remains a key cog to our institution-building efforts at the Judiciary. Thus, we expect all members of the Judiciary family to embrace ‘judicial hygiene’," Koome said.

While the Commission will protect the institutional independence of the Judiciary and the decisional autonomy of Judges and Judicial officers, Koome said corruption, unethical conduct, impunity and failure to perform duties vested in any Judge or Judicial officer will not be tolerated.

"The Commission hopes that Judges, Judicial Officers and Judiciary staff will aspire to live by the values and standards that the Code engenders. Pending disciplinary cases will be expeditiously processed to enable those implicated in alleged misconduct to clear their names," the CJ said.