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<blockquote><div class="quotetitle">Quote from <a class="profile-link highlight-moderator" href="https://lawguide.co.ke/understanding-law/legal-forum/profile/lawyer/">Lawyer</a> on September 3, 2025, 8:00 am</div><div id="pl-7829"  class="panel-layout" ><div id="pg-7829-0"  class="panel-grid panel-no-style" ><div id="pgc-7829-0-0"  class="panel-grid-cell"  data-weight="1" ><div id="panel-7829-0-0-0" class="so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child" data-index="0" data-style="{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;,&quot;background_image_size&quot;:&quot;full&quot;,&quot;background_image_opacity&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;border_thickness&quot;:&quot;1px&quot;}" ><div
			
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	<p dir="ltr" data-pm-slice="0 0 []">On September 2, 2025, Chief Justice Martha Koome officially launched the Garissa County Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) County Action Plan, the Garissa AJS Model, and the Al-Islaah Justice Centre at the Garissa Law Courts, marking a significant milestone in Kenya’s journey toward accessible, inclusive, and community-driven justice. The event, attended by Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, area Member of Parliament Dekow Barow, judges, magistrates, and a diverse group of 42 elders, religious leaders, and civil society representatives, underscored the Judiciary’s commitment to transforming justice delivery by integrating traditional dispute resolution mechanisms with constitutional values.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Chief Justice Koome emphasized that the Al-Islaah Justice Centre, named after the Arabic term for "reconciliation," is more than a dispute resolution hub; it stands as a cultural symbol of peace, dialogue, and unity. She highlighted its role in fostering solutions that heal relationships rather than deepen divisions, stating, "This centre will be a place where the wisdom of elders, the moral authority of religious leaders, and the knowledge of trained mediators converge to offer citizens solutions that mend broken bonds and foster lasting peace within society." The Chief Justice stressed that justice is not solely about punishment but about restoration, aligning with the principles of utu, a Swahili concept embodying humanity, kindness, and interconnectedness.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Garissa AJS Model is designed as a hybrid system, blending three interconnected streams: autonomous mechanisms led by elders and religious leaders, court-annexed panels embedded within the Garissa Law Courts, and state-based institutions such as National Government Administration Officers, including Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs. This multi-door approach allows citizens to choose from multiple avenues of redress based on their needs while ensuring human rights, dignity, and constitutional values are upheld. Koome noted that formal courts alone cannot address the full burden of disputes, particularly in regions like Garissa, where vast distances, illiteracy, and poverty limit access to justice. By strengthening AJS, the Judiciary aims to deliver justice in local languages, within familiar cultural frameworks, and at minimal cost, making it more accessible to all.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The launch builds on the traditional Maslaha system, a communal justice mechanism in Garissa, but addresses its limitations, such as the exclusion of women and the treatment of survivors of gender-based violence as objects of clan negotiations. Koome emphasized that the Garissa AJS County Action Plan is explicit in its commitment to inclusive, rights-based justice, ensuring that women, youth, minorities, and persons with disabilities are active participants in shaping outcomes, not just beneficiaries. This approach aligns with the Judiciary’s broader Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint, launched in November 2023, which seeks to make justice a right for all Kenyans, not a privilege for a few.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya highlighted Garissa’s unique position to demonstrate the power of AJS, given its rich heritage of elders’ councils, strong Islamic traditions of justice, and vibrant community structures where dialogue, reconciliation, and consensus are central. She noted that the Judiciary has allocated 20 million shillings in the current financial year to support the AJS Committee and expand its reach nationwide. Mokaya described the launch as a recognition of Garissa’s culture of community-driven justice, stating, "Building modern courts, supporting mobile courts, and strengthening AJS mechanisms are complementary pathways that expand the doorways of justice."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Governor Nathif Jama committed to devolving AJS suites to the sub-county level, emphasizing that the model will promote reconciliation, enhance community cohesion, and restore trust in justice systems by embedding traditional conflict resolution within the formal judicial framework. He announced that the county government has renovated and furnished a courthouse within the Garissa Law Courts premises, where elders and religious leaders can now officiate AJS proceedings. Jama described the initiative as a shared vision to make justice simple, affordable, and closer to the people, strengthening peace, cohesion, and accountability in Garissa’s communities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The launch in Garissa marks the 12th AJS County Action Plan implemented in Kenya, following counties such as Kisumu, Trans Nzoia, Isiolo, Marsabit, Mandera, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Nairobi, Meru, Migori, and Mombasa. The event also builds on prior efforts in Garissa, including a five-day training in May 2025 for over 60 community elders and religious leaders, initiated by the National Steering Committee on AJS. The training equipped participants with skills to resolve disputes outside formal courts, enhancing their ability to handle community conflicts effectively while referring serious cases, such as murder or gender-based violence, to the formal justice system.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Community elder Salah Maalim Hussein, who participated in the training, expressed gratitude for the practical skills gained, noting that the program clarified which cases could be handled through AJS and which required formal court intervention. Religious leader Hassan Abdi praised the government’s recognition of AJS as a legitimate justice delivery mechanism, highlighting its cost-free nature and alignment with traditional practices passed down through generations.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Chief Justice Koome urged AJS practitioners to ensure that justice under the system respects constitutional values and protects vulnerable groups, particularly women and children. She reiterated the Judiciary’s commitment to a multi-door approach to justice, which includes not only AJS but also court-annexed mediation, small claims courts, and digital innovations like e-filing. These efforts aim to reduce case backlogs, lower litigation costs, and make justice more responsive to the needs of Kenyans, particularly in underserved regions.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The establishment of the Al-Islaah Justice Centre and the Garissa AJS Model reflects Kenya’s leadership in people-centred justice, as outlined in the STAJ Blueprint. By integrating traditional and formal justice systems, the Judiciary is creating a transformative justice landscape that prioritizes accessibility, equity, and cultural relevance, ensuring that no Kenyan is left behind in the pursuit of fair and meaningful resolutions.</p>
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