Kenya’s Courts Increasingly Deliver Justice Online

⁣ ​ ​ It was 9:27 ‌AM on December 18th when Judge William Musyoka activated his camera.
⁣ ⁣ He extended a warm welcome, saying ⁤”Karibuni” (Swahili for “welcome”), ⁣to the lawyers connected via Microsoft Teams.
⁤ ‍ ⁢‌ The virtual hearing at‍ the​ High Court of Busia,a town in western ‌Kenya,was now ready to commence.
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That day, the civil court ​was scheduled to⁢ review sixteen cases.
‌ The initial matter concerned a land dispute, involving two parties claiming ownership of ‌the same property left⁤ by a man who passed away in 2006 without a spouse or children.
Further property disagreements and ‌commercial disputes would occupy the‌ court’s time throughout​ the morning.

‌ ‌Currently, civil justice in Kenya is predominantly conducted online.
‍ Individuals can observe⁣ court proceedings from any location with a computer or smartphone,whether in Nairobi,Mombasa,Kisumu,or Eldoret.
‌ access is granted through the⁤ causelist.court.go.ke portal, maintained by the Kenyan Ministry of Justice.Users simply need to input the relevant judicial instance (High Court,Court of ⁤Appeal,Supreme Court,etc.), the city, and the date⁢ before clicking the link to the virtual court.

The Rise of Digital ‍Justice in Kenya

‌ This shift towards online proceedings represents a notable evolution in Kenya’s ⁣judicial system, driven by a need for greater efficiency and accessibility.
I’ve found that this modernization isn’t just about ​convenience; it’s about ⁣dismantling barriers to justice for citizens across the country.
​ ‍ According to‌ a recent report by the Judiciary of Kenya (December 2025), virtual hearings have reduced case backlogs by approximately⁢ 20% in the past year.