Nairobi: Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu has called on Deputy Registrars to transform court registries into efficient, accountable, and responsive units, noting that such reforms are critical to realizing the constitutional promise of access to justice under Article 48. Speaking while officially opening the Annual Deputy Registrars’ Conference, themed ‘Transforming Court Registries: Enhancing Efficiency, Accountability, and Service Delivery,’ the DCJ highlighted the significant role registries play in managing the entire lifecycle of a case from filing to execution.
According to Kenya News Agency, Justice Mwilu warned that dysfunctional registries contribute to case backlogs, frequent adjournments, missing files, disorganized proceedings, and even corruption. She emphasized that registries are the gateway to justice, as every case begins at the registry. Inefficiency, confusion, or inaccessibility at this first point of contact compromises access to justice. For many litigants, the registry represents the court itself.
Justice Mwilu further noted that registries are often the public’s primary point of interaction with the Judiciary, making them the face of the institution. A professional, accessible, and service-oriented registry is essential for building public trust and confidence in the courts. Registries serve as the Judiciary’s anchor for accountability and transparency by ensuring processes are documented, actions are traceable, and decisions are accessible, thus strengthening accountability mechanisms.
The DCJ stressed that effective delivery of justice through judgments and rulings is impossible if registry systems remain inefficient, dysfunctional, or compromised. Efficient registries enable a justice system that is orderly, predictable, and fair. She commended the conference for placing registries at the center of judicial transformation, noting that administrative excellence is inseparable from substantive justice and essential for delivering constitutional rights and remedies.
On digital transformation, Justice Mwilu highlighted ongoing efforts within the Judiciary, including e-filing, case tracking systems, transcription services, and registry automation. She urged deputy registrars to ensure that technology is effectively implemented and supported through discipline, training, and accountability. Technology must simplify processes, enhance transparency, and improve access, but it will only deliver results if properly implemented, monitored, and continuously improved.
Justice Mwilu described deputy registrars as playing a central and indispensable role at the intersection of technology and justice, ensuring that innovation translates into tangible improvements in service delivery for litigants, advocates, and other court users. She noted that deputy registrars are responsible for establishing and maintaining registries, managing court records, and preserving institutional memory with accuracy, integrity, and accessibility, functions foundational to the proper functioning of the courts.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya noted that a Deputy Registrar is placed at the very center of the wheel of justice. Judges cannot proceed unless properly filed and organized case matters are placed before them. Likewise, litigants cannot meaningfully advance their cases without efficient, responsive, and accessible administrative pathways. Mokaya emphasized that behind every file in registries is a human story, and mishandling processes affects real lives. Therefore, there must be a deliberate effort to eliminate preventable inefficiencies.
The conference brings together deputy registrars from the High Court, the Environment and Land Court, and the Employment and Labour Relations Court to reflect on emerging challenges, share practical experiences, and develop strategies to strengthen registry performance, positioning registries as centers of excellence.
