The Judiciary has dismissed the Law Society of Kenya’s planned nationwide court boycott, insisting that all courts will remain open on Wednesday despite advocates’ decision to stay away from court proceedings.
The Judiciary says the planned boycott by the Law Society of Kenya is an inappropriate and disproportionate response to concerns raised by advocates.
In a statement, Judiciary Spokesperson Paul Ndemo said court operations will continue as scheduled on July 22, 2026 warning that the boycott will mainly hurt litigants and other court users with matters set for hearing.
“The institution does not consider a boycott of court proceedings to be an appropriate or proportionate response… Such action would primarily prejudice litigants and other court users.”
The Judiciary maintained that accountability mechanisms already exist through the Judicial Service Commission and the Office of the Judiciary Ombudsman, where complaints against judges and judicial officers can be lodged and investigated.
It also defended its recent performance, saying courts resolved more than 647,000 cases during the 2024/2025 financial year, achieving a case clearance rate of 104 per cent for the first time in several years.
The Judiciary has now urged the Law Society to pursue its concerns through dialogue, with a consultative meeting involving the JSC, the LSK Council and the Senior Counsel Bar scheduled for July 31.
But the Law Society of Kenya has defended the boycott, saying it has become necessary after years of unsuccessful engagement with the Judiciary.
LSK President Charles Kanjama says advocates continue to face challenges including alleged judicial corruption, delays in hearing cases, registry inefficiencies, frequent e-filing system failures and weak complaint-handling mechanisms.
“Where sustained engagement does not yield adequate progress… the Society has both a statutory and constitutional duty to take lawful, measured and proportionate action,” said Kanjama.
The Society has directed advocates to boycott court proceedings nationwide on July 22, except for mentions aimed at taking hearing dates or extending interim orders.
Lawyers will, however, continue filing court documents.
The LSK has also announced an indefinite boycott of courts presided over by judges who have obtained court orders blocking investigations by the Judicial Service Commission or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The directive further extends to the Supreme Court, except for registry services.
