Courts, tribunals and all registries in Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu and Nakuru counties shall from today be closed to the public until otherwise notified in a move aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.
Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu directed Sunday that any matters requiring a hearing during the period under these guidelines shall be by way of virtual hearing.
Justice Mwilu added in Nairobi county, matters under certificate of urgency shall continue to be filed using the e-filing system accessible online.
E-filing support shall be offered through an online platform running every weekday from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm.
Further, certificates of urgency in the other zoned areas of Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Nakuru, shall be presented by way of e-filing.
Further, all criminal pleas and urgent hearings shall be handled virtually in all courts in the five zoned counties and the Presiding Judges and Heads of Stations/Divisions in consultation with their Bar- Bench and Court Users Committees shall issue guidelines to address any unique issues arising in their jurisdictions.
This follows the directive by the president that there be a partial lockdown in the five counties over the growing trend of Covid-19 pandemic infections.
“Like all other sectors, the Judiciary and the rest of the criminal and civil justice agencies were asked to take immediate action to eliminate non-essential physical contact or situations within our areas of the mandate that may lead to crowding or the propagation of the disease,” she said.
The DCJ said each court station, tribunal, directorate and implementing unit in the zoned area shall develop and submit a weekly duty roster to the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary ensuring that only 30 per cent of staff are in the office at any given time.
The guidelines shall be reviewed as circumstances allow, and updates shall be given on a needs basis, she added.
Mwilu said the government has prioritised the vaccination of all persons aged 58 years and above.
“And although vaccination is voluntary, all of us are seriously encouraged to get vaccinated at the earliest possible moment,” she said.
Elsewhere, the Public Service Commission (PSC) will from Monday also scale down its operations over the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
PSC Secretary Simon Rotich said the Commission will operate at 50 per cent capacity as half of the staff have been directed to work from home.
This may affect service delivery in many ways. The government has also asked the private sector to embrace the same mechanism to contain the spread.
He said all secretariat staff will work on a rotational Work Shift Schedule, up to the lapse of the 60 days containment timeline announced by the President.
Rotich offered assurance that delivery of critical services will not be interrupted even as he added Commission has not recorded any new positive cases among staff members other than the 10 that were recorded last year.
He said staff members will work on a one to two-week shift in which they will alternate between the workplace and home to reduce crowding and unnecessary physical contact.
Rotich told staff to voluntarily present themselves for the free Covid-19 vaccination programme offered by the Ministry of Health.
He said the commission’s meetings will be conducted virtually through online platforms while in-person meetings will be restricted to not more than four persons.
Physical visits to the Commission House will be restricted and visitors encouraged to make inquiries through telephone 0204865555, contact centre number 0204865000 and e-mail [email protected].
