The Kiambu County government has donated a 10-acre piece of land from 695 acres surrendered by Delmonte last year to Thika Law Courts for the expansion.
The county also plans to establish an Export Processing Zone (EPZ), government offices, and affordable housing projects on this parcel.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the land will be enough to facilitate the construction of better and more modern facilities to enhance service delivery.
He announced an open-day court forum organized by the Thika High Court, the Environmental and Land Court, and the Chief Magistrate’s Court to sensitize the public on the services offered by the Judiciary and stakeholders.
“I gave you an offer of 10 acres to construct modern courts on the Delmonte land. We have enough land there that you can use to modernise your infrastructure. I know it might be far from the town, but it will be worth it, as we plan to have Thika elevated into a smart city in a few months’ time. You will need that space,” Wamatangi said.
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This came as court officials led by Chief Magistrate Stella Atambo decried infrastructure challenges caused by inadequate space.
The court serves Thika, Gatundu, and Ruiru sub-counties and received its first High Court Judge in November last year.
Eric Ogolla, the Principal High Court Judge who represented Chief Justice Martha Koome at the function, decried the extreme underfunding of the Judiciary.
Ogolla called on budget makers to consider increasing the budgetary allocation for the Judiciary to facilitate quality service delivery.
On her part, Justice Florence Muchemi, the presiding Judge of the newly established Thika High Court, said they have started hearing most of the cases that were previously being heard in Kiambu.
Justice Muchemi called for an additional judge to cater to the growing jurisdiction of appeals from the Thika, Gatundu, Ruiru, and Kamwangi law courts.
