Construction of a Court of Appeal in Meru County has begun. This follows the handover one-acre site to the contractor. Meru Law Courts Presiding Judge, Edward Murithi who handed over the land, said the Court is meant to serve the entire Mount Kenya and some parts of Eastern regions.
“Construction of the Court of Appeal in Meru is one of the efforts by the Judiciary to bring services closer to the people and to see to it that justice is served expeditiously in the shortest time possible,” said Justice Murithi.
The project is set to cost Sh 630million. It will be a six-story building that will house other courts, including Labour, Environment and the High Court meaning that people will access services from a common point, which will in turn save time for litigants.
Project details
It will feature a basement and a spacious parking lot. Municipal Courts, two Magistrate Courts will take up the ground floor and municipal offices in the next floors. Whereas the Country Government will do the construction bit, the Judiciary will provide all the judicial officers required to run the courts. The building is set to be complete by June 2023.
“We have never had any other six-storey building and this will also be constructed in the latest technology in addition to housing all the courts in a single building,” noted Judiciary’s Assistant Director-In-Charge of Architectural Services, Jaffar Mosheh.
Meru County’s Land and Physical Planning Executive (CEC), Jeremiah Lenya, said the County Government is ready to partner with the Judiciary in the project that will see to it that residents get justice in the shortest time possible. Additionally, they have partnered to come up with Municipal Courts where petty offenders relating to contravening of the Municipality By-Laws will be dealt with.
“The project will have great social and economic implications to the County Government and residents in general and this is the reason we will give any required assistance to the end of the project,” said Mr Lenya.
