Lawyer Urges JSC to Fix Disability Access Gaps at Milimani Law Courts

News Updated: 19 December 2025 13:35 EAT

A prominent advocate has formally petitioned the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to urgently address long-standing accessibility challenges at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, which he says undermine the constitutional rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

In a letter to the commission, Advocate Danstan Omari highlighted that key areas of the court complex lack essential infrastructure, including functional ramps, lifts for upper levels, handrails, and tactile guiding rails, thereby excluding persons with mobility and visual challenges from full participation in court processes.

According to the petition, these deficiencies not only impede physical access but also pose safety risks.

Omari noted that wheelchair users and others reliant on mobility aids are effectively barred from accessing certain courtrooms, including those on higher floors, and that several falls and injuries have already occurred due to these gaps.

The advocate urged the JSC to take advantage of the current judicial recess to implement remedial upgrades before the next court term begins, ensuring that facilities across the Criminal, Commercial, and Family Divisions comply with accessibility standards and uphold constitutional guarantees on equality, dignity, and access to justice for all.

Independent reports and past judicial assessments have similarly identified physical barriers at the Milimani complex, including steps at entry points, narrow courtroom entrances, and raised witness boxes that hinder wheelchair access, reinforcing the need for inclusive design upgrades.