NAIROBI, Kenya — Chief Justice Martha Koome has established a new division of the High Court that will exclusively hear appeals arising from tribunals, in a move aimed at strengthening the Judiciary’s specialized case management framework.
According to a notice published in the Kenya Gazette, the Tribunals Appeals Division officially came into effect on July 1, 2026, and will operate from the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
The new division was created under Section 12(2) of the High Court (Organization and Administration) Act, 2015, which empowers the Chief Justice to establish High Court divisions where necessary for the effective administration of justice.
“The Chief Justice has established a Tribunals Appeals Division of the High Court at Milimani Law Courts, to hear appeals emanating from Tribunals whose appeals lie in the High Court save for those emanating from the Tax Appeals Tribunal with effect from 1st July, 2026,” the Gazette notice states.
The notice was signed by Chief Justice Koome in her capacity as President of the Supreme Court.
Dedicated Forum for Tribunal Appeals
The newly created division will hear appeals from tribunals whose decisions are appealable to the High Court under various laws.
However, appeals arising from the Tax Appeals Tribunal have been expressly excluded from its jurisdiction and will continue to be handled under the existing legal framework.
Kenya has numerous statutory tribunals that determine disputes in specialized sectors, including land, energy, competition, communications, political parties, sports, environment and business, among others.
Previously, appeals from these tribunals were handled through existing High Court divisions depending on the nature of the dispute.
The establishment of a dedicated division consolidates such appeals into a single judicial forum focused exclusively on tribunal-related matters.
What the New Division Means
The Tribunals Appeals Division will review tribunal decisions to determine whether they complied with the law, observed due process and acted within the powers granted by statute.
Legal practitioners filing appeals from eligible tribunals will now be expected to lodge their cases before the new division in accordance with the Judiciary’s administrative framework.
While the Judiciary did not explain the specific reasons for establishing the division, legal observers say specialized courts and divisions often help promote consistency in judicial decisions, improve efficiency and allow judges to develop expertise in specific areas of law.
The Gazette notice did not indicate how many judges will be assigned to the division, how pending tribunal appeals will be handled or the expected caseload.
Expanding Specialized Justice
The new division joins several existing specialized divisions within the High Court, including those handling constitutional and human rights matters, commercial disputes, family cases, anti-corruption and economic crimes, labour disputes and judicial review matters.
The Judiciary has increasingly relied on specialized court structures as part of broader efforts to improve the administration of justice and streamline the handling of complex legal disputes.