LSK President Charles Kanjama speaking to the media in Kisumu on September 25th 2026/Faith Matete
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The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has maintained its targeted court boycott of specified judges and judicial officers, citing what it says are delays in implementing a raft of commitments agreed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
LSK President Charles Kanjama said advocates should continue to refrain from appearing before judges and judicial officers identified under the targeted boycott until further communication from the Society.
“The targeted boycott remains in force,” Kanjama said.
He added: “Members are therefore reminded to refrain from appearing before the Judges and Judicial Officers identified under the targeted boycott until further communication by the Society.”
The directive follows a strategic engagement held on July 31, 2026, between the JSC, the LSK Council and the Senior Counsel Bar, which produced an agreed framework covering judicial performance reporting, complaints handling, pending petitions, court-station integrity committees, disciplinary regulations and the relationship between judicial independence and institutional accountability.
Kanjama said the Society had written to the chairperson of the JSC on September 23 seeking an update on implementation of the resolutions reached during the July meeting.
“By letter dated 23rd September, 2026, the Society sought an update from the Chairperson of the JSC on implementation of the resolutions and called for the timely constitution and convening of the Joint Committee established under the agreed framework,” he said.
The LSK president said the Society had since received the names of representatives from the JSC and Judiciary who are expected to sit on the Joint Committee.
“The Society has since received communication on the composition of the JSC and Judiciary representatives to the Joint Committee,” Kanjama said.
He, however, noted that the committee was yet to be constituted and convened.
“The remaining step is the formal constitution and convening of the inaugural meeting,” he said.
Kanjama said the committee would serve as an institutional mechanism for monitoring implementation of the July 31 resolutions, reviewing progress and addressing emerging concerns.
On judicial performance, Kanjama said the Judiciary had not met the agreed 30-day deadline for publishing institutional and court-level performance reports.
“The Judiciary has not honoured the agreed 30-day timeline for publication of the institutional and court-level judicial performance reports,” he said.
Kanjama said: “The reports have not been published, and no communication or explanation has been provided regarding the delay or the status of the verification process necessary for the release of individual judicial performance information.”
He called on the JSC and Judiciary to conclude the process and publish the reports.
“The Society considers this continued inaction to be inconsistent with the commitment made and calls upon the JSC and the Judiciary to immediately conclude the outstanding process and publish the agreed reports without further delay,” Kanjama said.
The LSK president raised concerns over the electronic complaints system agreed upon by the parties.
“The parties agreed on an enhanced electronic system for lodgement and tracking of complaints, with an implementation period of approximately sixty (60) days,” he said.
“The Society continues to await confirmation of its operational status and the modalities for access by advocates and the Society.”
Kanjama said the Society was seeking feedback on long-pending petitions and complaints before the JSC, including matters linked to the targeted boycott.
“The Society continues to seek substantive feedback on long-pending petitions, complaints and other processes before the Commission,” he said.
He said LSK wanted the Commission to clarify the status of the matters and communicate the outcomes to affected parties.
“The Society demands that the Commission provide a definitive status of all outstanding matters and take immediate steps to conclude those that remain pending, with the outcomes formally communicated to the affected parties and the Society,” Kanjama said.
On integrity committees established at court stations, Kanjama said LSK was yet to receive consolidated contact details as agreed during the July engagement.
“The Society is yet to receive the agreed consolidated contact details for the Integrity Committees established at the respective court stations,” he said.
Kanjama said the information would facilitate engagement between advocates and the Judiciary and provide an avenue for addressing integrity and service-delivery concerns.
The Society is also seeking access to the draft Judicial Service Commission Disciplinary Process Regulations.
“The Society is yet to be seized of the current draft Judicial Service Commission Disciplinary Process Regulations, as agreed during the 31st July 2026 engagement,” Kanjama said.
He called on the Commission to provide the draft to allow LSK to review it and make submissions to the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation.
On judicial independence and accountability, Kanjama said LSK remained committed to developing a framework clarifying the relationship between judicial decisional independence and institutional accountability.
“As agreed, the Society will contribute a concept paper drawing from comparative constitutional and Commonwealth approaches and pursue the matter through the Joint Committee once constituted,” he said.
Despite maintaining the targeted boycott, Kanjama said LSK would continue engaging the JSC and Judiciary.
“The continuation of the targeted boycott does not bring to an end the institutional dialogue between the Society and the JSC,” he said.
“Council will continue to pursue implementation of the resolutions reached on 31st July, 2026, including through the Joint Committee and other agreed mechanisms, while maintaining the targeted boycott until further communication.”
Kanjama also urged LSK branches and members to continue documenting concerns relating to the administration of justice.
“Branches remain an important component of this process and are encouraged to continue documenting and transmitting members’ concerns and experiences relating to the administration of justice,” he said.
He directed members to comply with the boycott and any subsequent operational guidance issued by the Society.
“Members shall refrain from appearing before the targeted Judges and Judicial Officers identified by the Society until further communication,” Kanjama said.
He added that the Council would continue pursuing the constitution of the Joint Committee and implementation of the outstanding commitments.
“Council will pursue the immediate constitution and convening of the Joint Committee and implementation of the outstanding commitments concerning judicial performance reporting, the electronic complaints tracking system, pending petitions, court-station Integrity Committees, the draft Disciplinary Process Regulations and the framework on judicial independence and accountability,” he said.
Kanjama said members would receive further communication on the targeted boycott and implementation of the agreed resolutions.