Nairobi Kenya — Chief Justice Martha Koome has assured that Kenya is ready to lead in convening dialogue among African judiciaries.
Speaking during the 3rd Symposium on the Greening of Judiciaries across Africa on Monday, Koome said regional dialogue is key to building on efforts to effectively respond to unique aspirations of the continent, and tackle emerging threats.
“As we gather here in Nairobi, I am happy to share with you that the Kenyan Judiciary is committed to serving as the hub for African judiciaries’ dialogue,” she said.
“We view hosting regional judiciaries dialogues as a means of fostering the development of an African jurisprudence that is responsive to the unique concerns and aspirations of our continent,” she said.
Koome termed the conference under the auspices of Africa Judicial Education Network on Environmental Law (AJENEL) as a crucial platform in promoting continuous knowledge building.
“It is our vision to create a robust and dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration among African judiciaries, enabling us to better understand, interpret, and apply the law to promote social development and transformation in our respective jurisdictions.”
Environmental sustainability
She called upon the judges in Africa to be in the lead to apply the law in a manner that promotes environmental sustainability, social equity, and inter generational justice.
“As judges, we have a unique responsibility to interpret and apply the law in a manner that promotes environmental sustainability, social equity, and inter generational justice,” she said.
“This requires us to be bold, innovative, and proactive in our approach to environmental litigation, ensuring that our decisions and judgments contribute to the realization of a greener, more resilient Africa.”
Koome singled out Kenya’s contribution to enriching environmental law saying the country had made significant strides in promoting transformative environmental constitutionalism.
She urged the judiciaries to maintain their proactive participation in the battle against climate change, drawing on their previous triumphs and knowledge gained from their past experiences.
“We must be unyielding in our pursuit of environmental justice, ensuring that our decisions and judgments contribute to the realization of a greener, more resilient, and more sustainable Africa,” she said.
“I call upon all the Chief Justices and judges present here today to join hands in forging a united front against climate change, leveraging our collective wisdom and expertise to develop a jurisprudence that is uniquely African and responsive to our shared concerns.”
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