JUDICIARY
Migori Senior Principal Magistrate Ms Naomi Wairimo has called upon the county residents to register as mediators to serve in the Alternative Justice Systems (AJS).
Magistrate Wairimo who spoke during the open day forum organised by the Judiciary at Uriri Deputy County Commissioner’s (DDC) ground said that the county has been relying on mediators from Kisii County in the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Wairimo said that the mediators from Kisii encountered serious challenges including language barrier and culture that has made the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms not to be effective enough.
The SPM disclosed that the Migori Mediation Registry has been running for the last one year and called upon mediators within the county to come forward and register to help solve cases forwarded through the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms.
Officials from the Departments of Prison, Probation, Office of the Director of Prosecutions (ODPP), Office of the County Attorney, Non-State Actors and county residents during the open day forum organised by the Judiciary-at DDC Uriri grounds. Photo by Geoffrey Makokha.
She urged the county residents to use the Alternative Dispute Mechanisms to resolve their issues by giving power to aggrieved partners the opportunity to choose what works for them.
She noted that so far, more than 50 cases have been referred to the Migori Law Courts mediation desk by various courts within the county adding that the solution in mediation comes from the parties involved as opposed to magistrates and judges.
The Alternative Dispute Mechanism is anchored in the 2010 Constitution whereby the partners could resolve disputes without trial.
Wairimo also noted that Migori Law Courts have already launched the Small Claims Court which is currently active with one adjudicator calling the county residents to file their cases to enable the government to send more adjudicators.
On the issue of E-Filling, she explained that at the moment, the Migori Law Court has a system that is running where residents could file their cases with assistance from the court premises.
Migori Director- Maendelo Boda boda Cooperative Society Michael Odongo called upon the Judiciary to move with speed and establish a Huduma Centre desk where county residents could do e-filling.
Odongo noted that the E-filling would reduce the unnecessary travel from one county to another to file and hear cases saying that the digitisation of the Judiciary services would ease the pain of file loss and reduce corruption.
He urged the Judiciary to continue organising such forums to equip the county residents with the necessary knowledge of how the court system worked and the Judiciary services being offered to enable the residents to make informed choices.
The Migori open day also brought together officials from the Departments of Prison, Probation, Office of the Director of Prosecutions (ODPP), Office of the County Attorney and Non-State Actors.