The Attorney General Hon. Dorcas A. Oduor today met with all State Counsel to reflect on the achievements of the office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice in the past four months. The meeting brought together close to 242 physical and online participants from Nairobi and other parts of the Country.
During the meeting, the Hon. Attorney General shared with the participants’ achievement in seven key areas since assuming office on 20th August, 2024. The areas are :
i. Digitization of Records and Files especially at the Marriage Registry and the Public Trustees Department. This action was taken to ensure better record management and enhanced efficiency. In the same breath, the Office of the Attorney General is revamping its website to facilitate enhanced interaction and communication with members of the public and ensure better access to information and services. This action is in line with the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda.
ii. Establishment of a Strategic Litigation Committee to provide guidance and strategies to manage and mitigate Government’s exposure to loss in court and arbitration cases. Operations of the committee will assist in safeguarding Government from financial and reputation risks arising from litigation.
iii. Decentralization of Services to the Counties has been achieved in 14 counties namely: Mombasa; Kisumu; Nakuru; Eldoret; Kakamega; Malindi; Kisii; Embu; Machakos; Meru; Nyeri; Garissa, Kericho and the latest Wajir, which was inaugurated on 19th December 2024. Beginning January 2025, the office will further decentralize to additional 14 other counties namely: Nyandarua; Narok; Tana River; Tharaka Nithi; Baringo; Trans Nzoia; Makueni; Lamu; Vihiga; Kajiado; Marsabit; Isiolo; Elgeyo Marakwet and Kiambu.
iv. Advancing the welfare and interests of all State Counsel was done by addressing long standing issues around promotions. It also included engaging with relevant stakeholders with a view to enhance the medical cover for all State Counsel to supplement what is currently being provided by the government.
v. Legal Education Sector Reforms: The Office of the Attorney General is in the process of reviewing the Framework on Legal education with a view to fast-track the requisite targeted reforms in the sector. This is in recognition of the pivotal role played by legal education in shaping and having a direct influence to the quality of the profession.
vi. Enhancement of Marriage Services: During the period under review, the Office of the Attorney General prepared to introduce Premium Marriage Services that will offer expedited processes in an upscale environment. The service is set to cater to the diverse needs clients while maintaining the dignity of the marriage registration process.
vii. Introduction of the X-Space Sheria Engagements provides a unique platform for direct interactions with members of the public. These engagements allowed the office to further demystify legal processes to facilitate a better understanding of the services being offered, address public concerns and foster trust.
viii. During the period, the Office developed also comprehensive Public Participation Framework which was consolidated from the various draft legislative interventions. The Framework will ensure that the public engagement in legal and policy processes is structured, inclusive and impactful.
For 2025, Hon. Oduor said the office was set to focusing on: fast-tracking the process of delinking from the mainstream public service; strengthening the capacity of the office of the Attorney General to provide timely and effective legal services; enhancing collaboration across departments and with external stakeholders; enhancing digitization efforts and advancing technology driven solutions to improve service delivery and promoting continuous professional development for all State Counsel.
The Hon.Attorney General challenged the officers to embrace innovation in delivery of services. She alerted the officers of the challenges the various types of Artificial Intelligence (AI) were to professions including the legal profession.
