Nakuru Lawyers Locked Out Of Court Premises Install New Padlocks On Gate: "Tutakuwa Tunawafungulia"

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nakuru - Advocates have staged demonstrations outside the Nakuru Law Courts entrance following the closure of one of the gates.

On Monday, December 4, the advocates threatened to install new padlocks on the gates, arguing that they felt marginalised after they were locked out.

The gate in question was closed last week and can only be accessed by judges, magistrates, judicial staff, prison officers, and prisoners.

After efforts to have the gates opened failed, the advocates installed new padlocks on the same gate.

"Police officers are not the officers of the court, but they can come to reinforce us to reopen the gate. Judicial officers are not the officers of the court, they are under us. We have never been locked out unilaterally by one person.

The option is for the presiding judge to come here and open the gate peacefully, or the law society of Kenya, which is here and are officers of the court, can proceed and open the gate, then install new padlocks so that we shall be opening for them. Now that they are late, we have installed our padlocks, and we shall be opening for them every morning.," lawyer Kipkoech Ngetich said.

Ngetich said that lawyers' access to court was paramount, and that the gate should be opened to the public.