• CJ urges parents and churches to guide the youth properly.
• Nyamira and Kisii counties are considered hotspots of sexual violence.
Chief Justice David Maraga has raised alarm over rising defilement and rape cases in the country.
He said many youths caught in the vice are rotting behind bars, wasting their talents that should serve the country.
Maraga said it was time society rose to address the vice before the situation got out of hand.
"It disheartens and hurts that most of those doing this are very young people who must pay this way, " Maraga said in Naymira.
The CJ urged parents and churches to guide the youth properly.
Kisii and Nyamira counties have been flagged as rape and defilement hotspots.
In Kisii, Ogembo hospital recorded 841 cases, with Sameta , Bonchari and Marani subcounties registering the highes cases of defilement.
"This sad phenomena means our young people pay with long sentences behind bars," Maraga said.
The Chief Justice inaugurated a three-story court building funded by the World Bank and Judicial Service Commission.
The CJ said the Judiciary has plans to strengthen expanding courts and staff them.
Already plans are at an advanced stage to build appeal courts in Kisii, Eldoret and Meru.
Additional courts will be set up in Manga in Nyamira and Etago in Kisii in the near future, Maraga said.
He said Kisii, Eldoret and Meru are grappling with a huge backlog of cases and need additional staff and courts.
Maraga said the Judiciary is committed to reducing distances people travel to access justice.
He said already designs for the planned appeal courts for selected areas are ready and Treasury has allocated funds.
He said while there was a need to dispatch more judges to courts in counties, lack of funds means the courts have to work with those they have.
Maraga praised courts in Nyamira for reducing the backlog of cases.
"It is truly recommendable and I urge other courts to do the same," the CJ said.
Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama asked for more judges to deal with land and property cases.
He said many succession disputes drag for years in the courts.