Social Transformation Through Access to Justice: Kenya’s STAJ Vision; Progress, Challenges and Recent Judicial Landmarks
- Muhoro & Gitonga Associates
- May 16, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2025
Table of contents
What is STAJ and Why it Matters
The STAJ Blueprint and the Judiciary’s 10 year Strategic Direction
Where STAJ has Delivered Results So Far
Recent Policy, Budget and Digital Investments That Matter
Recent Judicial Decisions with Strong Access to Justice Implications
Doorways of Justice: Court Houses, Mobile Courts and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities and Vulnerable Groups
Case Backlog, Case Management and the Role of Technology
Practical Implications for Lawyers, Litigants and NGOs
Recommendations to Accelerate STAJ Outcomes
Executive Summary
This article explains Kenya’s Social Transformation Through Access to Justice (STAJ) vision, assesses recent developments and cases that shape its implementation, and sets out practical recommendations for lawyers, civil society and policy makers. The Judiciary’s STAJ blueprint reframes judicial reform away from purely institutional change toward people centered outcomes, expanding doorways of justice, reducing barriers for vulnerable groups, and using technology and partnerships to close gaps in legal empowerment.
What is STAJ and Why it Matters
Social Transformation Through Access to Justice or STAJ is the Chief Justice’s ten year vision to make the justice system an instrument of social transformation and constitutional change. STAJ situates justice delivery within broader social outcomes such as protection of rights, inclusive economic participation and social cohesion.
For litigants and practitioners the shift means the judiciary will prioritise access, affordability, predictability and responsiveness when delivering decisions and services.
The STAJ Blueprint and the Judiciary’s 10 Year Strategic Direction
The STAJ blueprint, published by the Judiciary, sets out pillars and strategic interventions to widen access to justice, strengthen case management, expand the physical and virtual doorways of justice, and deepen partnerships with stakeholders. The blueprint positions the judiciary to consolidate gains from earlier reforms and to focus on social justice outcomes rather than solely on institutional metrics.
The blueprint remains the reference point for budgeting, court infrastructure expansion and policy priorities.
Where STAJ has Delivered Results So Far
Since the STAJ launch the Judiciary has recorded several visible wins. These include the operationalisation and scaling of subregistries and satellite courts in counties, the public roll out of the STAJ guide for citizens, the publication of performance reports and the framing of annual targets in the State of Judiciary and Administration of Justice reports.
Civil society and legal aid providers note improved co-ordination on outreach and mobile court programmes, while government budget documents now explicitly align funding to STAJ priorities.
Recent Policy, Budget and Digital Investments that Matter
Budget alignment and digitization are central to STAJ success. The Judiciary’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework recognises STAJ as the decisive strategic driver for the next budget cycles, linking infrastructure, staffing and ICT investments to service delivery outcomes.
In mid 2025 the Communications Authority announced a major investment to connect dozens of courts and improve local area network infrastructure; a clear step toward more reliable e-filing, remote hearings and digital access across counties. These investments reduce travel time, cut costs for litigants and create foundations for electronic court records and remote participation.
Recent Judicial Decisions with Strong Access to Justice Implications
The Kenyan bench has continued to deliver decisions with practical access to justice consequences. Recent rulings at the High Court and Court of Appeal have clarified administrative and jurisdictional questions that affect the speed of case assignment, the limits of administrative discretion, and the balance between public interest and procedural fairness.
For example, appellate and high court judgments in 2024 and 2025 have considered bench composition, administrative acts within the judiciary and procedural rules that shape the allocation of matters across courts. These authorities influence how the judiciary organises its workload, a material factor in timely access to justice.
Doorways of Justice: Courthouses, Mobile Courts and Alternative Dispute Resolution
STAJ emphasises physical and virtual doorways of justice. On the physical side the expansion of subregistries, magistrate courts and county level small claims forums brings services closer to communities and decongests main stations.
Mobile courts and outreach legal aid remain powerful tools for rural and informal settlements. On the virtual side, remote hearings, e-filing and public access portals are being scaled. Successful STAJ implementation will require sustained operational funding, staff training and robust public awareness campaigns to ensure citizens know how to use these doorways.
Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities and Vulnerable Groups
Equity is central to STAJ. Recent research and reports highlight both progress and persistent gaps in disability access and gender inclusive justice. International and local NGOs have documented improvements in courtroom access, sign language interpretation and reasonable accommodation, but also systemic gaps that frustrate timely access for persons with disabilities.
Legal reforms and targeted implementation measures; physical ramps, accessible court forms, trained staff and partnerships with disability organisations are necessary to make STAJ truly inclusive. The International Commission of Jurists and Disability Rights Report published in 2025 underline these mixed advances and the urgent need for implementation.
Case Backlog, Case Management and the Role of Technology
Case backlog remains a live constraint to meaningful access to justice. STAJ addresses backlog through improved case management systems, alternative dispute resolution, and triaging of matters.
Technology plays an enabling role but is not a panacea. E-filing, case tracking and digital evidence portals require parallel investments in reliable ICT infrastructure, user training and data security. The recent judiciary and government investments into court connectivity and ICT reflect an understanding that technology must be accompanied by process re-engineering to reduce pendency and improve enforcement of judgments.
Practical Implications for Lawyers, Litigants and NGOs
For litigators and legal practitioners STAJ means an increased emphasis on client centred practices: early case assessment, use of ADR, digital filing readiness and strategic use of public interest litigation to create systemic remedies. For NGOs and legal aid providers it means greater opportunity for partnerships with courts on outreach and paralegal training but also the need to align interventions with documented STAJ priorities to access public funding and programme support.
For litigants it means learning how to use mobile courts, e-filing portals and court announced duty services. Evidence of successful STAJ pilots suggests high impact where legal empowerment and simplified court processes were combined.
Recommendations to Accelerate STAJ Outcomes
Kenya’s STAJ vision is ambitious and achievable if implementation focuses on a few high impact priorities. First, ring fence and track STAJ funding within the Judiciary budget to ensure predictable resources for subregistries, ICT and outreach.
Second, fast track legal aid accreditation and fund community paralegals who bridge courts and communities. Third, mandate reasonable accommodation standards across courts and monitor compliance.
Fourth, scale simpler small claims and tribunals with clear enforcement pathways. Fifth, institute robust performance dashboards published publicly to hold courts to measurable access outcomes. These are pragmatic steps that combine policy, budget and operational changes to accelerate impact.
Conclusion
STAJ reframes the judiciary as an engine of social transformation. The last three years show important progress: stronger strategic alignment, early wins in decentralisation, targeted ICT investments and greater visibility of access concerns for vulnerable groups.
Recent judicial rulings and budgetary commitments show the political and institutional will to deliver. The test now is consistent implementation, transparency of outcomes, and inclusive partnerships that convert policy into lived access for ordinary Kenyans.
The legal community, civil society and government all have clear roles in turning the STAJ blueprint into measurable social transformation.
13. FAQs
Q1. What is the STAJ blueprint and where can I read it?
A1. The STAJ blueprint is the Judiciary’s ten year plan to expand access to justice and align judicial reform with social outcomes. It is published by the Judiciary and available on the Judiciary website and as a downloadable guide for citizens.
Q2. Has the Judiciary committed budget to STAJ activities?
A2. Yes. The Judiciary’s MTEF and budget documents explicitly align resources to STAJ priorities and the Judiciary has highlighted STAJ in recent annual reports. Continued budget allocations are crucial to implementation.
Q3. Are courts becoming more digital under STAJ?
A3. Yes. The Judiciary is implementing e-filing, remote hearings and court connectivity. Recent public sector investments to connect courts and improve local area networks are accelerating these changes. Technology is an enabler but must be combined with training and process reform.
Q4. How does STAJ affect persons with disabilities?
A4. STAJ prioritises inclusive access but recent independent reports show mixed results. There have been improvements in accommodation and outreach but significant gaps remain that require targeted policy and funding.
Q5. What should lawyers do now to align with STAJ?
A5. Lawyers should adopt client centred case strategies, use ADR aggressively, get comfortable with electronic court processes, engage in strategic public interest litigation where necessary and partner with community legal empowerment initiatives.
To learn more, see the Chief Justice’s vision for the Judiciary anchored on the mantra of “Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ).
