Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan Judiciary has unveiled an ambitious 10-Year Social Transformation Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint for the period 2023-2033. This initiative aims to revolutionize the judiciary’s functioning, focusing on enhancing accountability, service delivery, and public trust.
According to Kenya News Agency, who spoke at the launch event, the STAJ Blueprint is critical for fostering a culture of accountability in the judiciary while upholding constitutional principles and values. She emphasized that the plan’s foundations are rooted in accessibility, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, shared leadership, cooperative dialogue, and social justice.
CJ Koome articulated the judiciary’s dedication to making justice a tangible reality for every Kenyan, irrespective of their socio-economic background, geographic location, or personal vulnerabilities. She recognized the current challenges in accessing justice, citing geographical, economic, and structural hurdles that the Blueprint aims to overcome.
The Blueprint is set to transform the judiciary from being solely a justice-dispensing institution to one that is caring and service-oriented, with a focus on uplifting and empowering Kenyan citizens. This shift is expected to foster peace and harmony within communities.
A key element of the STAJ initiative, as outlined by CJ Koome, is its vision of the judiciary as a nexus for justice champions. The plan promotes a multi-door approach to justice, empowering individuals to resolve disputes through various means such as mediation, traditional justice systems, conciliation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution avenues.
Prime Cabinet Secretary H.E Musalia Mudavadi lauded the judiciary’s progress over the years and emphasized the need to scale up services to meet the needs of all Kenyans. He reinforced the idea that justice should be a fundamental right, not a privilege, and must align with national values and principles.
Mudavadi underscored the public’s expectation of high jurisdictional standards, in accordance with the Constitution and various statutes. He pointed out that accessibility, efficiency, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, shared leadership, cooperative dialogue, and social justice should be the guiding principles in the pursuit of justice, equality, and inclusivity, thereby enhancing shared prosperity.
The STAJ Blueprint represents a collective aspiration for a judicial system that is accessible, efficient, and responsive to the Kenyan populace’s needs. The launch signifies a crucial step towards realizing a more equitable and inclusive society, reflecting the judiciary’s commitment to social transformation through access to justice.