JUSTICE TOWERS IN MOMBASA
A new court building will be constructed within 18 months. The 4 storey building named “Justice Tower” by Court Users Committee of Mombasa Law Court, will contribute towards improving the timeliness of Judiciary Services by de-congesting the already overcrowded facilities. The Justice Tower will be able to accommodate the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) which is currently leasing premises. It is hoped that with improved and spacious facilities, more judicial officers and staff will be deployed to the court leading to reduction of case back log and more efficient dispensation of justice. The first court in Kenya was built in 1902 . The Old Court building was articulated the typical Swahili architectural traditional design. The walls consisted of coral stones that were bound together with mortar consisting of lime and earth. Lime plaster and whitewashed was applied onto the building. The building was rectangular and had been divided in three sections. It had two courtroom wings that flanked a central section which contained the support services for the courtrooms. The Old Court building was gazetted in 1985 as a historical monument but it is currently under renovations to house the Court of Appeal. The Old Court housed the Mombasa High Court until 1984 when the courts moved to the current premises.
The site for Justice Towers, measuring 1.477 hectares was handed over to Bashash Construction Co. Ltd to erect the four-storey building at a cost of Ksh. 445million. The design of the court building will be consistent with the typical Swahili architectural design and ambiance. Justice Towers will have 8 court rooms, 11 chambers, spacious registries, separate cells for male, female and juveniles, offices for prosecution counsel, witness protection room, lactation rooms for staff and litigants, children’s area, ramps for physically challenged for both litigants and staff and other facilities required in accordance to the law. The new facilities will immensely contribute towards the reduction of case backlog, reduction of the distances people travel to court to have some of their cases heard, reduction of the time period litigants receive services and improve access to information. The Judiciary is in the forefront in seeking ways of improving delivery of services.
Site handover to contractor for construction of Magistrate Court
The new site for constriction of Magistrate court
Oldest Court in Kenya based in Mombasa