President William Ruto has said court-annexed mediation has returned more than Sh52 billion to the economy and helped restore over 8,000 family relationships since its introduction in 2016, highlighting the growing role of alternative dispute resolution in Kenya's justice system.
Speaking during the Africa Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution Summit 2026, Ruto said the Judiciary has recorded significant gains through mediation and other people-centred approaches to justice, reducing delays and easing the burden on courts.
“The impact has been significant. Through court-annexed mediation, more than Sh52 billion has been returned to our economy, and over 8,000 relationships among disputing families have been restored since 2016,” Ruto said.
He noted that the Judiciary resolved more cases than were filed last year, achieving a case clearance rate of 104 per cent and reducing the backlog of cases by nearly a third.
The President said alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are helping courts deliver justice that is faster, less adversarial and more responsive to the needs of citizens.
He cited the Al-Islaah Alternative Justice Centre in Garissa as an example of community-based justice that integrates mediation and local values to resolve disputes.
“We have also built justice that speaks the people’s own language, such as the Al-Islaah Alternative Justice Centre in Garissa, where mediation and community values resolve disputes that a distant courtroom never could,” he said.
Ruto said the future of justice in Africa must focus on people rather than procedures, arguing that citizens judge justice systems based on whether they are heard, treated fairly and have their dignity restored.
“The future of justice in Africa must be people-centred, not process-centred,” he said.
At the same time, the President pledged to champion increased funding for judiciaries across Africa, warning that courts are struggling to meet growing demands amid shrinking budgets.
He said many judicial systems on the continent are facing rising caseloads, increasing public expectations and rapid technological changes without matching financial support.
“Across our continent, judiciaries confront rising caseloads, rising expectations, and rapid technological change, but too often, within shrinking budgets,” he said.
The President argued that funding the Judiciary should be viewed as a strategic investment rather than a government expense, saying strong courts are critical for peace, economic growth and social cohesion.
“If we ask our courts to be engines of peace, investment, and cohesion, we must equip them for the task. Funding our judiciaries is not an act of generosity. It is a strategic investment in stability and growth,” he said.
Ruto said investments are needed in court infrastructure, technology, judicial training and alternative dispute resolution programmes.
He further pledged to rally fellow African leaders to prioritise judicial financing and independence.
“I will rally fellow African Heads of State and Government to recognise strong, independent judiciaries as a continental priority deserving adequate, predictable funding and firm policy support,” he said.
The President said investments in justice systems are as important as investments in infrastructure, peace and regional integration because they provide the foundation that allows those gains to endure.
