NAIROBI, Kenya – The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has announced a nationwide boycott of court proceedings on Wednesday, July 22, in a move aimed at pressuring the Judiciary to address concerns over alleged corruption, delayed justice and judicial accountability.
In a statement issued by LSK President Charles Kanjama, the society said the one-day boycott follows months of engagement with the Judiciary that failed to deliver meaningful progress on issues repeatedly raised by advocates.
According to the society, the protest is intended to highlight persistent challenges affecting the administration of justice and restore public confidence in Kenya’s court system.
“The Society shall undertake a nationwide boycott of court proceedings on Wednesday, 22nd July, 2026, intended to emphasise the seriousness of the concerns raised by members and to call for meaningful institutional interventions that will restore confidence in the administration of justice,” Kanjama said.
Beyond the one-day protest, the LSK Council resolved to launch an indefinite targeted boycott of courts presided over by judges and judicial officers who have obtained court orders preventing the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) from investigating or processing complaints against them.
The society said advocates have consistently raised concerns over alleged judicial misconduct, corruption, abuse of office and unethical conduct, warning that such issues continue to erode public trust in the Judiciary.
LSK also cited prolonged delays in hearing and determining cases, registry inefficiencies, frequent technological failures affecting the e-filing system, weak complaint-handling mechanisms, inconsistent case management and poor treatment of advocates by some judicial officers.
While reaffirming its support for judicial independence, the society stressed that accountability, transparency and integrity are equally essential to safeguarding confidence in the justice system.
“Judicial independence must go hand-in-hand with accountability, integrity, transparency and responsiveness to legitimate concerns raised by court users and the Bar,” Kanjama said.
As part of the reforms, LSK will establish a confidential reporting mechanism through which advocates can regularly submit information on judicial performance, corruption allegations, registry inefficiencies and delays in court processes.
The society said verified reports will be used during structured engagements with the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission to strengthen institutional accountability.
The lawyers’ body clarified that the boycott will not halt all court operations. Advocates will continue filing pleadings and other court documents within statutory deadlines, while urgent applications involving interim orders will proceed solely to secure fresh hearing dates or extend existing orders where necessary to protect litigants’ interests.
Advocates appearing before judges affected by the targeted boycott have been directed to seek adjournments, request case transfers or apply for the recusal of the judicial officers.
LSK further resolved that judges covered by the boycott should only deliver pending rulings and judgments and refrain from conducting new hearings until legal barriers to disciplinary proceedings are resolved.
The boycott will also extend to hearings before the Supreme Court, with registry services remaining operational. LSK argued that all but one of the Supreme Court judges continue to serve under court orders restraining the Judicial Service Commission from pursuing complaints lodged against them.
Calling on advocates to support the resolutions, Kanjama said the action is intended to defend the rule of law while pushing for a Judiciary that is more transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of Kenyans.
“Together, we will continue to uphold the rule of law, defend the independence of the legal profession and work towards a Judiciary that inspires the confidence of every Kenyan,” he said.