Garissa residents urged to seek alternative dispute resolutions to decongest courts

Garissa residents have been encouraged to embrace alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to reduce backlogs of cases at the Garissa Law Courts.

Speaking during a public engagement forum with the court users, Garissa Chief Magistrate Thomas Mwangi said the Constitution recognises the traditional dispute resolution mechanisms that had been operating in Kenya at the community level for decades.

"Apart from cases involving female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual offences, robbery with violence and other criminal cases, we are encouraging members of the community to make use of mediators including community elders and religious leaders to help in the dispute resolution," he said.

Mwangi stated that the majority of cases stem from communal disputes such as land issues and if the involved parties adopt mediation, the disputes can be solved win-win without costly litigation process.

He encouraged the local community to explore mechanisms that include reconciliation, mediation, arbitration, and traditional and religious methods such as the local popular maslah system.

He emphasised how the use of ADR can reduce the time taken to litigate cases in the law courts, and further help to reduce the backlog of cases brought to court.

Key community stakeholders highlighted the effectiveness of the ADR and promised to create public awareness of the need to fully adopt the traditional dispute resolution mechanism.

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• Northern Kenya
• alternative dispute resolution
• case backlogs
• court cases
• Garissa Law Courts
• maslah system
• Garissa residents urged to seek alternative dispute resolutions to decongest courts
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