NAIROBI, Kenya May 22 – The Judicial Service Commission Kenya has announced that the Judiciary will begin publishing individual performance data for judges and judicial officers as part of efforts to enhance accountability, transparency and efficiency within the justice system.
Speaking during a judiciary engagement forum, Everlyne Olwande said the move would be implemented under a structured and transparent framework designed to safeguard judicial independence while strengthening institutional integrity.
Olwande said judicial excellence must not only be presumed but demonstrated through measurable performance indicators and public reporting.
“Judicial authority in Kenya is derived from the people and exercised in their name. They are the ultimate consumers of justice and its primary financiers. Accountability to them is not optional, it is constitutional,” she said.
According to the commissioner, the publication of performance data will provide a clear picture of how courts and judicial officers are handling matters such as case clearance rates, backlog management, case flow efficiency and public perception.
She urged Heads of Stations across the country to begin strengthening internal systems and cultivating a culture of accountability and service delivery within their courts.
“As Heads of Station, you are at the centre of this shift. How your stations perform in clearance rates, backlog management, case flow and public perception will increasingly become part of the institutional record,” Olwande noted.
The initiative marks a significant policy shift within the Judiciary, with the JSC seeking to improve public confidence in the justice system through greater transparency and measurable performance standards.
The commission maintains that the framework will balance accountability with the need to preserve judicial independence and protect the integrity of court processes.