The Judiciary has dismissed the Law Society of Kenya’s planned nationwide court boycott, insisting that all courts across the country will remain operational on Wednesday despite advocates’ decision to stay away from court proceedings.
In a statement, Judiciary Spokesperson Paul Ndemo described the planned action by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) as an inappropriate and disproportionate response to the concerns raised by advocates.
“The institution does not consider a boycott of court proceedings to be an appropriate or proportionate response,” Ndemo said.
He warned that the boycott would primarily affect litigants and other court users whose matters are scheduled for hearing, emphasizing that court services will continue uninterrupted on July 22, 2026.
According to the Judiciary, existing accountability mechanisms are available for addressing complaints against judges and judicial officers. These include the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Office of the Judiciary Ombudsman, which are mandated to receive, investigate and address complaints relating to judicial conduct.
The Judiciary also defended its recent performance, noting that courts resolved more than 647,000 cases during the 2024/2025 financial year. It said the achievement resulted in a case clearance rate of 104 percent, marking the first time in several years that the institution has surpassed the number of new cases filed.
The institution further urged the Law Society of Kenya to pursue its concerns through dialogue and engagement rather than industrial action. It pointed to a consultative meeting scheduled for July 31 involving the Judicial Service Commission, the LSK Council and the Senior Counsel Bar as an opportunity to address the issues raised.
However, the Law Society of Kenya has maintained that the boycott is justified, arguing that years of engagement with the Judiciary have failed to produce meaningful reforms.
LSK President Charles Kanjama said advocates continue to face numerous challenges, including alleged judicial corruption, delays in the administration of justice, inefficiencies in court registries, recurring failures of the e-filing platform and weak mechanisms for handling complaints against judicial officers.
“Where sustained engagement does not yield adequate progress, the Society has both a statutory and constitutional duty to take lawful, measured and proportionate action,” Kanjama said.
The Society has directed advocates nationwide to boycott court proceedings on July 22, with exceptions only for mentions intended to secure hearing dates or extend interim court orders. Lawyers will, however, continue filing court documents and processing registry-related services.
In addition, the LSK has announced an indefinite boycott of courts presided over by judges who have obtained court orders blocking investigations by either the Judicial Service Commission or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The directive also extends to the Supreme Court, although registry services will remain accessible.
The standoff sets the stage for a major confrontation between the legal profession and the Judiciary, with litigants expected to bear the greatest impact if the dispute remains unresolved.
