- Between November 1999 and December 2003, she served as a Resident Magistrate at Kisumu and Winam Law Courts.
- As a Magistrate, Mokaya ensured prompt dispensation of justice and streamlined the bond and bail application process.
Image: JSC
On Tuesday, the Judicial Service Commission announced the appointment of Frida Mokaya as the Chief Registrar.
Congratulating her on her new post, Chief Justice Martha Koome noted that Mokaya has 27 years of experience in the Judiciary.
Here is more on the new CRJ:
Career journey and experience
She began her journey in the Judiciary in February 1997 serving as a District Magistrate II (Prof) at Kisii and Kisumu Law Courts until November 1999.
Between November 1999 and December 2003, she served as a Resident Magistrate at Kisumu and Winam Law Courts.
She was then appointed Senior Resident Magistrate for Kisumu and Milimani Law Courts, from December 2003 to June 2008.
In the period between June 2008 and October 2011, she worked at the Milimani Law Courts as a Principal Magistrate.
At the end of the aforementioned term, Mokaya rose ranks to a Senior Principal Magistrate serving in the position until March 2012.
At the same time, she acted as a Registrar for the Judicial Service Commission between May 2011 and March 2012.
In March 2012, she settled fully into the position until her appointment as the Chief Registrar of the JSC on March 2024.
Achievements
As a Magistrate, Mokaya ensured prompt dispensation of justice and streamlined the bond and bail application process.
She also successfully organised bar-bench committee meetings at Milimani Law Courts, where she was also in-charge of staff welfare and staff delegation to Sheria Sacco.
As the Registrar, she institutionalised the JSC Secretariat which included the HR staffing from three members to 45 members.
Mokaya also took part in the preparation of the JSC strategic plan for 2022-2027.
During her tenure, JSC received the 2016 Financial Reporting (FIRE) Award from ICPAK for 2014/15 financial statements.
During this period, the Commission has been consistently recognised by the National Treasury (between 2014 and 2023) for excellent financial management.
Mokaya supported the JSC on litigation, with a success rate of 75 per cent.
She took part in policy development in the review, processing, facilitation and development of 38 institutional policy documents.
Community service
In a portfolio, Mokaya notes that "I regularly participate in the community through material and moral support of society’s vulnerable, mentoring young girls and general leadership, guidance and counselling".
Among her community outreach projects include building a classroom at her rural home for the children of farm workers.
She went ahead to provide books and other learning materials and equipment for them and donated library books to the local primary school – Nyambaria Geke Primary School.
She also does an annual support to the House of Charity Children’s Home in Nairobi and supports widows within and without the family.
Academic, professional qualifications and memberships
Mokaya holds a Bachelor in Law from the University of Nairobi, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from Kenya Law School and a Master in Law LLM Studies from the University of Nairobi.
She is a Certified Public Secretary (CPS-K) and has a Strategic Leadership and Management Certification from the Kenya School of Government.
Mokaya belongs to the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association(KMJA), Kenya Women Judges Association(KWJA), the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK) and the East African Magistrates and Judges Association (EAMJA).
Following her appointment, she will serve as the Chief Registrar for the next five years.