Nelson Havi, Senior Counsel and former President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has raised the alarm over the state of courtroom infrastructure across the country.
The prominent lawyer revealed that the traditional wooden benches found in most Kenyan courts recently led to a personal medical emergency.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Havi detailed how a two-week stint at the Kakamega Law Courts resulted in a visit to the Aga Khan Hospital. He informed his followers that he required surgery to address a condition he described as "reduced ass tensile strain."
A Painful Experience
The experience was clearly distressing for the Senior Counsel. He noted that the recovery process was difficult, stating that the surgery is not a good experience.
The ordeal has changed his approach to his courtroom appearances. Havi declared that he would now prefer to remain on his feet throughout his submissions rather than risk further injury.
“The pain we go through when we sit on these wooden benches. Two weeks of such an experience at Kakamega Law Courts landed me at Aga Khan Hospital to fix “reduced ass tensile strain.” I will opt to stand today, even if it will be for ten hours. Ass surgery is not a good experience,” he tweeted.
Dusty and Decaying Infrastructure
In addition to his social media posts, Havi shared footage highlighting the poor condition of the seating provided for both legal professionals and the public. He pointed out that the wooden benches reserved for advocates were often dusty and lacked adequate space.
According to Havi, these benches are designed to sit a maximum of only four people. He questioned how advocates are expected to work efficiently in such environments.
The Senior Counsel contrasted these conditions with the high-end offices used by judicial officials. He asked if the courtroom seating could be compared to the "comfort in your chambers or the comfort in your boardroom."
He argued that this disparity is unacceptable given the significant revenue collected through taxes and court fines.
Call for Urgent Reforms
Havi is now calling for immediate action from the leadership of the legal profession and the Judiciary. He specifically urged the current LSK President, Charles Kanjama, to initiate a dialogue with Chief Justice Martha Koome.
His demand is simple: the provision of "decent seats" for litigants and advocates. He argued that courtrooms have suffered from long-term neglect and that "this nonsense" must be removed to make courtrooms hospitable again.
“President Charles Kanjama, SC have a discussion with C J Martha Koome. Let her provide decent seats to litigants and Advocates. Courtrooms have been neglected.”
Kenya's Judicial Infrastructure
Nelson Havi served as the President of the Law Society of Kenya between 2020 and 2022. During his tenure, he was a vocal critic of various government and judicial policies.
Many of Kenya's courtrooms, particularly in rural areas like Kakamega, are housed in buildings dating back to the colonial era. While the Judiciary has recently embarked on a "Social Transformation through Jurisdiction" (STJ) vision under CJ Martha Koome, which includes building new courts, many older stations still rely on basic wooden furniture that has been in use for decades.
