Magistrates to be vetted to handle election complaints

By Nairobi Digest Reporter

More than 100 magistrates will be vetted before the country goes to the polls in readiness to election disputes and complaints.

This is in efforts to restore public trust on the judiciary to handle election disputes, which plunged the country into election chaos.

According to the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board deputy chairperson Ms Roseline Odede, at least 109 magistrates will be vetted next month.

“Local courts can offer credible arbitration but lack of trust has dogged the Kenyan judiciary for so long. It is only us who can initiate the prerequisite reforms that can change the face of the local judiciary. The on-going judicial vetting is health and would help in restoring its past lost trust,” said Ms Odede.

Members of the public with complaints can download complaint forms from www.jmvb.org.

Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Act, 2011, was passed by parliament to create the necessary institutional framework and guidelines for the vetting of Judges and Magistrate.

The Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board was established pursuant to Section 23 of the 6th schedule of the Constitution and the Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Act 2011.

First published in January 2013.