{"id":159279,"date":"2026-03-27T16:30:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:24:44","slug":"cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system","title":{"rendered":"CJ Koome Urges Court to Embrace Paperless System"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ap-summary\" dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\n<h4>What You Need to Know<\/h4>\n<p>Chief Justice Martha Koome has urged the Employment and Labour Relations Court to adopt a fully paperless system, enhancing efficiency and access to justice. During the installation of Justice Monica Mbaru as Principal Judge, Koome highlighted the importance of technology in judicial reforms and the need for continued commitment to digitization and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ap-article-header-tag\"> <strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Kenya. <\/strong> <\/span>Chief Justice Martha Koome has called on the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) to spearhead efforts towards a fully paperless Judiciary, urging the expansion of virtual hearings and greater use of digital platforms to boost efficiency, transparency, and access to justice.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking during the installation of Justice Monica Mbaru as the new Principal Judge of the ELRC at Milimani, Chief Justice Koome acknowledged the strides already made through virtual proceedings but stressed that more work is needed to institutionalise these gains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTechnology remains a key enabler of judicial transformation,\u201d she said, highlighting the Judiciary\u2019s ongoing reforms under the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative seeks faster case resolution and aims to ensure no case remains in trial courts for more than three years.<\/p>\n<p>The Chief Justice pointed to the ELRC\u2019s recent achievements, noting a remarkable case clearance rate of 132 per cent in the last financial year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInnovation and the growing use of technology have contributed significantly to this success,\u201d she said. Yet, she cautioned that sustaining these gains will require continued commitment to digitisation and process reform.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Koome also urged the court to rethink management structures, embrace localised innovations, and strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation and conciliation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the same time, the Court should continue to strengthen its commitment to the multi-door approach to justice. Mediation and conciliation, as provided for under the Employment and Labour Relations Court Act, are vital tools for expeditious and amicable dispute resolution. These mechanisms not only ease the burden on the courts but also promote sustainable and mutually beneficial outcomes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She further emphasised the need for the ELRC to develop jurisprudence that is socially responsive and rooted in constitutional values. Such jurisprudence, she said, must serve the interests of employers, employees, and society while contributing to the global evolution of labour law.<\/p>\n<p>On leadership, Chief Justice Koome underscored the collective responsibility of driving judicial excellence. \u201cLeadership in the Judiciary is not vested in one individual alone; it is a collective responsibility. The Principal Judge, together with all judges and staff of the ELRC, must act as drivers of excellence\u2014championing performance, innovation, and accountability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu also highlighted the weight of the Principal Judge\u2019s office, noting that it demands both judicial excellence and leadership to guide the court in fulfilling its constitutional mandate while improving service delivery to Kenyans.<\/p>\n<p>Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, representing the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, said the ELRC holds a strategic role in balancing workers\u2019 rights, employers\u2019 obligations, and broader economic stability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe world of work is undergoing profound transformation driven by technological change, increased labour mobility, the rise of the gig and platform economy, and evolving employment relationships. These shifts are redefining how labour is organised, regulated, and protected, placing greater demands on our legal and institutional systems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Monica Mbaru, elected unopposed for a five-year term as Principal Judge, vowed to advance the STAJ Vision. \u201cI will champion efficiency in case management, strengthen institutional capacity, promote integrity, and support innovation within our courts. I will also prioritise access to justice for the most vulnerable and ensure that the ELRC continues to stand as a beacon of excellence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Mbaru succeeds Justice Byram Ongaya, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal after a four-year tenure marked by significant improvements in jurisprudence and service delivery.<\/p>\n<p>The push for a paperless Judiciary in Kenya reflects a broader global trend towards digital transformation in legal systems. As technology evolves, many jurisdictions are exploring ways to enhance efficiency and accessibility in their courts. The Employment and Labour Relations Court&#8217;s recent achievements in case clearance rates underscore the potential benefits of integrating technology into judicial processes, aiming to improve service delivery and reduce case backlogs. This initiative aligns with the Judiciary&#8217;s strategic goals under the Social Transformation through Access to Justice Blueprint, which seeks to modernize and streamline judicial operations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ap-article-footer-note\">Find more news and analyses on <span class=\"ap-highlight-country\">Kenya<\/span> on the <span class=\"ap-highlight-brand\">Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What You Need to Know Chief Justice Martha Koome has urged the Employment and Labour Relations Court to adopt a fully paperless system, enhancing efficiency and access to justice. During the installation of Justice Monica Mbaru as Principal Judge, Koome highlighted the importance of technology in judicial reforms and the need for continued commitment to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":159277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[1488,434,8897,544,194],"class_list":["post-159279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-court","tag-judiciary","tag-justice","tag-kenya","tag-technology"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>CJ Koome Urges Court to Embrace Paperless System - kenya<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Chief Justice Martha Koome calls for a paperless Judiciary, emphasizing digital transformation and efficiency in the court.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CJ Koome Urges Court to Embrace Paperless System\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chief Justice Martha Koome calls for a paperless Judiciary, emphasizing digital transformation and efficiency in the court.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"kenya\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-27T16:30:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-27T17:24:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/03\/sm_1774631970.015613.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"479\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"CJ Koome Urges Court to Embrace Paperless System\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-27T16:30:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-27T17:24:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\"},\"wordCount\":748,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/03\/sm_1774631970.015613.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"court\",\"Judiciary\",\"Justice\",\"Kenya\",\"Technology\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/cj-koome-urges-court-to-embrace-paperless-system\",\"name\":\"CJ Koome Urges Court to Embrace Paperless System - 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