The Judiciary concluded more cases than were filed during the 2024/2025 financial year, marking a major milestone in its efforts to improve the administration of justice. This is according to the latest Performance Management and Measurement Understanding (PMMU) Report unveiled by Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Martha Koome.
The report indicates that courts nationwide determined 647,886 cases against 621,425 newly filed matters, resulting in a case clearance rate of 104 per cent. As a result, the Judiciary reduced its backlog by 27 per cent, with pending cases falling from approximately 272,000 to 244,000.
Although case resolution improved significantly, the Judiciary’s overall institutional performance score declined from 95.29 per cent in the previous financial year to 88.12 per cent. Even so, the score remains within the “good performance” category.
Speaking during the launch of the report, Chief Justice Koome said the Judiciary had continued to deliver despite challenges including a shortage of judges and magistrates, limited infrastructure and increasing workloads. She attributed the progress to ongoing reforms, effective leadership and sustained institutional commitment aimed at enhancing access to justice.
The report also ranked the performance of different courts. The Supreme Court recorded the highest performance score at 96.3 per cent, followed closely by the Kadhis’ Courts at 95.4 per cent. Magistrates’ courts also posted strong results, while the Court of Appeal registered notable improvement compared to the previous assessment period.
Chief Justice Koome said the Judiciary remains committed to promoting accountability and transparency, noting that judicial officers are expected to account for the time taken to resolve cases while preserving judicial independence.
She further announced that the Judiciary is refining its performance assessment framework by introducing a case-weighting system. The new approach will classify cases according to their complexity and establish reasonable timelines for their determination.
According to findings cited by the Chief Justice, about 75 per cent of cases handled by the courts are straightforward and can be concluded quickly, while 20 per cent involve moderate complexity and only five per cent are highly complex.
She said the reforms are intended to ensure justice is delivered in a timely, fair and accessible manner, emphasizing that simple disputes should not remain unresolved for years.
The Chief Justice also called for greater investment in court infrastructure, technology and human resources, saying the Judiciary’s future depends on embracing digital innovation and delivering people-centred services.
“The Judiciary must continue investing in modern court infrastructure, digital systems and operational efficiency to ensure our institutions remain resilient, responsive and fit for purpose,” she said.
