Malindi Appeals court is the best in the country, a performance management, and measurement understandings evaluation report has stated.
"The court reduced case backlog by 100 per cent and had a case clearance rate of 97 per cent," the 2015/2016 study released on Thursday states.
The "very good" rating was factored on the reduction of case backlog, initiated cases, and overall service delivery.
Chief Justice David Maraga, in his executive summary of the report, urged judges, judicial officers to remain committed to the judiciary transformation agenda.
The study credited the good performance to Malindi presiding judge Milton Makhandia and Justices William Ouko and Kathurima M’Inoti.
Kitale High court took the recognition award for overall best performing high court under the stewardship of Justice J.R Karanja.
The court was also recognised for a very good case clearance rate of 200 per cent in the category of courts with 500 and below initiated cases.
It reduced case backlog by 78.27 per cent from 10,227 to 2,222 cases during the period under review. This under Justice James Wakiaga’s leadership.
Under the Employment & Labour Relations Court category, Nakuru emerged tops with a performance grade of “Very Good”.
The court achieved a case clearance rate of 200 per cent under the jurisdiction of Justice Stephen Radido.
Nairobi Kadhis’ court was the best performing Kadhis’ Court with a case clearance rate of 116 per cent under Deputy Chief Kadhi Rashid Omar.
The report recognised the office of the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary as the best administrative unit with a performance index of "Very Good" for most achieved set targets.
Office of the Registrar High Court was ranked the best registry for most achieved targets while Performance Management Directorate was ranked "very good".
This was in terms of their prowess in analysing monthly court returns and providing caseload data for decision making.
National Council for Law Reporting was recognised for being "Very Good" at publishing all judicial decisions.
Other recognitions were as follows;
Kerugoya High Court - best performing court in case backlog reduction.
The court reduced case backlog by 55.06 per cent under the stewardship of Justice Boaz Olao.
Magistrates courts
Tawa magistrates court – Best performing court in the category of Magistrates’ Courts with 1,000 and below initiated cases.
The Court achieved a performance grade of “Very Good” and a case clearance rate of 125 per cent under Hon. Margaret Nafula.
Lodwar magistrates court - best performing court in case backlog reduction in the category of Magistrates’ Courts with initiated cases of 1,000 and below.
It reduced case backlog by 78.00 per cent from 1,225 to 294 cases under Hon. Mwangi Karimi Mwangi’s leadership.
Kapenguria magistrates court - overall best performing court in the category of magistrates courts with initiated cases between 1,001 and 2,000.
With a “Very Good” performance grade offor hearing and determining 93 per cent of all the criminal cases within 360 days. The Court was led by Musa Machage.
Kangundo magistrates court – won the recognition award for best performing court in case backlog reduction in the category of Magistrates’ Courts with initiated cases between 1,001 and 2,000.
The court reduced case backlog by 94.12 per cent from 1,428 to 84 cases under Desderias Orimba stewardship.
Others are Machakos magistrates court - best performing court with more than 2,000 initiated cases.
All the judgments and rulings were delivered within 60 days from final submissions under Lucy Mbugua - now Meru environment and land court judge.
Bomet magistrates court - best performing court in case backlog reduction in the category of Court with more than 2000 initiated cases.
The court reduced case backlog by 72.16 per cent from 3.265 to 909 cases under Hon. Pamela Ochieng’s leadership.
Shanzu magistrates court was ranked "Very Good" for reducing the number of days spent in remand custody from 90 days to 60. Diana Mochache was in charge.
Webuye magistrates court reduced case backlog by 70.11 per cent from 4,503 to 1,346 cases under Timothy Muraguri.
Finally, Nyeri magistrates court won recognition award for reducing case backlog by 77.99 per cent from 10,097 to 2,222 cases.
During the period under review, the court was led by John Onyiego, now Judge of Family Division.