NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 14-The Judiciary has announced the deployment of judges to newly reconstituted benches of the Court of Appeal following the recent recruitment and swearing-in of 15 additional appellate judges.
According to the judiciary, the move is aimed at easing case backlogs and strengthening the delivery of justice across the country.
“Following the recent recruitment of 15 new Judges of the Court of Appeal, the benches have been deployed as follows:,”said the judiciary as it rolled out its list.
The deployment, which took effect on February 13, 2026, establishes five appellate benches in Nairobi and strengthens regional stations in Nakuru, Meru, Nyeri, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret.
The Judiciary said the re-distribution is designed to decentralise appellate services and bring justice closer to litigants outside the capital while easing pressure on Nairobi, which handles the bulk of complex commercial and constitutional appeals.
The expansion comes at a time when the appellate court has been handling a growing number of high-profile cases, including recent rulings touching on public finance, taxation and constitutional interpretation.
According to previous disclosures by the JSC, delays at the appellate level have in some instances stretched to several years, with the backlog of cases affecting litigants and businesses awaiting final determination of disputes.
Legal analysts say the additional judges are expected to shorten hearing timelines and improve the turnaround of judgments, a development seen as critical for investor confidence and contract enforcement.
The Judiciary has in recent months intensified broader reforms, including digitalisation of court processes and recruitment of more judges and magistrates, as part of efforts to enhance efficiency across the justice system.
With the expanded Court of Appeal now operational, attention will turn to whether the reinforced bench can significantly reduce the backlog and accelerate the resolution of appeals that have far-reaching economic and governance implications.
