Naema Celestine 
| Benmike Wekesa |
John Kioya, an 82-year-old resident of Nyeri, arrived early at the Nyeri law courts, anticipating that the final witness in the 2010 murder case of his nephew would testify and conclude the matter. However, he was left stranded due to the Judiciary’s decision to declare Tuesday a day of mourning.
As the Nyeri court participated in a solemn memorial service, people were turned away one after another. Notices indicated that cases scheduled for this week would be resumed on the 24th and 25th of next week, despite an agreement by the Magistrates and Judges Association to resume services on Wednesday.
Similarly, 64-year-old Peter King’ori, who has been trying to appeal a case involving a family member for the past two years, was among those turned away.
In Kisii County, Veronicah Kerubo was unaware of the directive by Chief Justice Martha Koome. She sat helplessly on the benches outside the courtroom, waiting for her case regarding her son, who was hit by a car in 2020, to be heard. Her situation was similar to others at the Kisii law courts and across the country who were unable to access judicial services.
