The Judiciary has responded to The Standard newspaper following the November 6 headline, which questioned the institution’s handling of abductions and alleged impunity by law enforcement agencies.
In a statement on Friday, November 6, 2026, Judiciary Spokesperson Paul Ndemo defended the courts, saying the Judiciary should not be blamed for failures by police, investigators and prosecutors.
This comes after the publication of a front-page story titled ‘Big Talk, Small Act’, which criticised the Judiciary over its failure to deliver justice to families searching for abducted relatives.
According to the newspaper, families seeking justice grew increasingly frustrated with slow court proceedings and alleged disregard for judicial orders, raising questions about the courts’ effectiveness.
However, the Judiciary strongly dismissed claims that it was responsible for failures in enforcing court orders, maintaining that its constitutional role was to determine disputes and protect Kenyans’ rights.
He explained that courts are responsible for settling disputes, protecting people’s rights and ensuring that individuals and institutions are held accountable according to the law and evidence presented before them.
Additionally , the judiciary condemned abductions, enforced disappearances and other violations of constitutional rights, saying courts had consistently used their constitutional powers to protect affected Kenyans.
It further advised State agencies and other institutions that judicial orders were binding and had to be respected, adding that responsibility for implementing such orders rested with the individuals and institutions to whom they were directed.
