Over 15,000 cases summing up to more than Sh2.7 billion have been resolved by the small claims court since its establishment one and a half years ago.
According to Court Registrar Stella Kagiri, there were slightly more than 20,000 commercial lawsuits filed nationwide that were worth less than Sh1 million.
While speaking in Meru, Kagiri stated that matters were resolved by the court in a maximum of 60 days and also revealed plans to open the 12th small claims court in the area.
By the end of June, it took the courts 37 days on average to hear and decide each case that was brought before them.
Kagiri said that filing fees for cases were as low as Sh200, a significant reduction from the Sh10,000 required to file comparable business cases at the magistrate’s court.
“The adjudicators have signed performance contracts committing to hear all matters speedily. An individual can represent themselves and address court in any language so far as the adjudicator can understand. This court seeks to create a conducive environment for private businesses to thrive,” she said.
Judge Christopher Nzili of the Environment and Land court welcomed the decision, saying that Meru County was a significant economic center, accounting for 3.2 percent of the nation’s GDP.
Since the majority of commercial disputes filed in local magistrates’ courts had a pecuniary worth Sh1 million, Meru Chief Magistrate Dominica Nyambu said that the court will help reduce the backlog of cases.
Ken Muriuki, the chairman of the Meru Bar Association, made a petition for the establishment of comparable courts in the cities of Maua and Nkubu, noting that the Meru region had one of the highest numbers of cases filed.
“Meru should have been among the first to get the court because of the big workload. It will unclog our courts of cases bedeviling our courts. As a society, we are litigious in nature, it is inherent in us,” he petitioned.
However, Kagiri said that due to lack of adjudicators and a prioritisation of posting at least one in the former provinces, they were unable to set up more courts as requested.
Two such courts have already been assigned to the former Eastern region, one in Machakos to handle the lower area and the other in Meru to serve the remainder.
