Lawyer petitions CJ Koome to lift restrictions on e-filing system, cites rights violations
He said the restriction undermines the very digital transformation efforts the Judiciary has championed in recent years.
A Nairobi-based lawyer has petitioned Chief Justice Martha Koome to urgently lift geo-restrictions on the Judiciary's e-filing and causelist portals, warning that the current setup is locking out millions of Kenyans abroad from accessing justice.
In a letter dated December 9, 2025, Advocate Francis Wanjiku raised alarm over what he termed a "critical barrier to access to justice" caused by the Judiciary's blocking of the platforms — efiling.court.go.ke and causelist.judiciary.go.ke — from IP addresses outside Kenya.
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He said the restriction undermines the very digital transformation efforts the Judiciary has championed in recent years.
According to Wanjiku, the two portals, meant to ease the filing of court documents and allow litigants to track hearing dates, become inaccessible once a user is outside Kenya's borders.
The result, he warned, is systemic exclusion of key groups, particularly the Kenyan diaspora estimated at more than three million, as well as advocates and litigants who travel for work, study or personal reasons.
The lawyer noted that many Kenyans living abroad continue to maintain active legal matters back home, including family disputes, property litigation, succession matters and commercial cases.
"Without global access to the Judiciary's systems, he said, such individuals are forced to rely on third parties, incur costly travel expenses, or suffer delays that can jeopardise their cases."
Wanjiku added that even advocates temporarily outside the country risk missing filing deadlines or failing to access causelists for scheduled hearings, exposing clients to adjournments, default judgments or dismissal of suits.
Citing the Constitution, he argued that the geo-blocking contravenes several fundamental rights under the Bill of Rights. He pointed to Article 48, which guarantees every person the right to access justice without hindrance arising from cost, distance or procedural technicalities.
He further referenced Article 27, which prohibits discrimination on grounds such as place of residence, and Article 159, which calls for the use of technology to promote efficient and timely justice.
Wanjiku maintained that the current barriers undermine national values such as inclusivity, equity and the rule of law, and run contrary to international best practices for judicial digital systems.
He urged Chief Justice Koome to review the existing access restrictions and adopt secure, globally accessible systems without territorial limitations, noting that cybersecurity concerns could be addressed without shutting out Kenyans abroad.
The advocate requested acknowledgement of his petition and expressed willingness to participate in consultations aimed at resolving the matter.
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