The National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) has unveiled a five-year strategic plan aimed at strengthening coordination among justice sector institutions, enhancing accountability and improving access to justice across the country.

The NCAJ Strategic Plan 2026–2030 was launched alongside the Administration of Justice in Kenya Annual Report 2025/2026 and the End-Term Review Report of the 2021–2026 Strategic Plan, as stakeholders renewed calls for a more coordinated, efficient and people-centred justice system.

Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs NCAJ, said the previous strategic plan had recorded an implementation performance score of 80 per cent, citing progress in strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, developing an anti-corruption framework and promoting a people-centred approach to justice.

She said the achievements provided a foundation for the next phase of reforms but stressed that justice delivery depended on effective collaboration among institutions rather than isolated efforts.

“Justice is a chain, not a single institution,” Koome said, calling for stronger coordination to ensure cases were tracked from police stations and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Judiciary, prisons and probation services.

The Chief Justice warned that organized criminal gangs continued to threaten public safety, urging authorities to pursue not only perpetrators but also individuals financing and protecting them.

“The goons are our children, they are brothers and sisters, they are being sustained by some who are bankrolling them,” she said.

The National Police Service reported that 1,827 suspects linked to gangs and organised crime had been arrested and arraigned between January and August 2026, while 109 gangs had been identified, up from 89 previously.

Koome also announced the gazettement of the High Court’s Serious Crimes Division, saying specialized mechanisms were necessary to strengthen the justice system’s response to complex criminal cases.

She further highlighted the role of the approximately 311 Court Users Committees established across the country in bringing justice sector stakeholders closer to communities and promoting public participation in justice reforms.

Deputy Chief of Staff Josphat Nanok, representing Chief of Staff Felix Koskei, said delays and fragmentation within justice institutions continued to undermine public confidence and economic productivity.

“The difficulty is not necessarily a lack of roads, institutions, or professional expertise, but rather it is that the institutions responsible for administering justice do not always function as one harmonious judicial system,” Nanok said.

He called for improved coordination and timely resolution of disputes, noting that justice sector inefficiencies could expose citizens to prolonged legal and financial challenges.

The Council of Governors called for greater collaboration between national and county institutions to improve access to justice at the grassroots, citing the role of county legal clinics, Court Users Committees and Alternative Justice Systems in addressing community disputes.

The Council highlighted legal clinics in Homa Bay and Garissa, which have reached more than 100 community members on matters including land, succession and inheritance.

Meanwhile, Judy Gitau, Associate Director for East and Central Africa at Equality Now, said barriers such as the cost of legal services, distance, language and limited awareness continued to prevent many people from accessing justice.

She called for accessible legal aid, stronger referral mechanisms and survivor-centred services, particularly for children, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

“The question is not only whether a service exists, but whether the person facing the greatest barrier can use it safely and effectively,” Gitau said.

She emphasised that justice interventions should be measured by whether people received meaningful assistance and appropriate outcomes, rather than simply by the number of services provided.

The launch also coincided with the observance of November as Child Justice Service Month, with stakeholders renewing commitments to strengthen protection and access to justice for children.

High Court Judge Teresia Matheka, chairperson of the NCAJ Standing Committee on the Administration of Justice for Children, said safeguarding children required sustained vigilance across judicial, prosecutorial and law enforcement institutions.

“This year’s focus is both timely and urgent—a reminder that justice for children is not a peripheral concern but a national priority,” Matheka said.

She called for strict adherence to child-friendly legal procedures, accurate age-assessment mechanisms and comprehensive legal aid for children, alongside rehabilitation and family reintegration programmes for those in conflict with the law.

NCAJ also endorsed a proposal seeking its inclusion in the high-level team developing Kenya’s Vision 2060. The proposal was approved during the Council’s 39th statutory meeting held on October 12, 2026.

The new strategic plan prioritizes institutional coordination, accountability, digital transformation, alternative dispute resolution and people-centred justice, with the aim of improving efficiency and strengthening public confidence in justice institutions.

NCAJ brings together institutions across the justice sector to coordinate reforms, address systemic challenges and improve service delivery, with the five-year blueprint expected to guide the sector’s efforts through 2030.

by Nancy Omondi and Zipporah Odionyi