NAIROBI, Kenya — The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal have officially announced their December and Christmas recess periods, signalling a temporary slowdown in Kenya’s top-tier judicial services during the festive season.
In a gazette notice dated November 21, both courts confirmed that regular sittings, delivery of judgments, and mentions will be suspended, with only urgent applications allowed during the recess.
Such matters include bail and bond reviews, conservatory applications, stay-of-execution requests, and other time-sensitive filings.
According to the notice, the Court of Appeal recess will run from December 21, 2025, to January 12, 2026, both days inclusive.
“The Court of Appeal 2025 Christmas Recess shall commence on Sunday, the 21st December, 2025, and terminate on Monday, the 12th January, 2026,” the notice stated.
During this period, its registry will operate under reduced hours, opening from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, including weekends, to attend to urgent matters and filings requiring immediate attention.
The Supreme Court will also scale back operations on the same dates, with Chief Justice Martha Koome issuing a separate notice confirming its recess between December 21, 2025, and January 13, 2026.
“The Supreme Court December Recess will commence on Sunday, the 21st December 2025 and terminate on Tuesday, the 13th January 2026,” CJ Koome stated.
As the apex court, the Supreme Court will similarly restrict operations to urgent constitutional or electoral matters filed under Article 163 and the Supreme Court Rules.
The recess means that appeals listed for hearing or mention in late December and early January will now be pushed to later dates after the courts reopen. Litigants with pending appeals should expect delays in processing and movement of files.
Advocates have been encouraged to plan ahead and file matters early to avoid congestion when full court sessions resume in mid-January.
While the appellate courts will scale down, High Courts and magistrates’ courts across the country will continue to operate normally. Trials, mentions, bail hearings, and fresh filings at these levels will remain unaffected through the holidays.
However, the slowdown at the appellate tier may affect transition cases requiring immediate transmission of files from the High Court to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, since such movement typically requires full administrative staffing.
The Judiciary’s recess system is anchored in the Constitution and the respective court rules, which allow judges to take scheduled breaks while maintaining limited service for emergencies. The December recess is the longest annual break for appellate courts, followed by shorter Easter and August sessions.
The courts are expected to resume full sittings by mid-January, clearing backlogs accumulated during the holiday period.
