Nairobi: Stakeholders have raised concern over the acute shortage of professional mediators in the country even as demand for alternative dispute resolutions surges.
According to Kenya News Agency, despite the country having a population of over 50 million, there are only about 2,000 registered mediators, far below what is required to meet the growing demand, particularly after the Judiciary introduced the Court-Annexed Mediation (CAM) programme to ease congestion in the courts.
Speaking during the graduation of 27 Certified Professional Mediators (CPM) at Mount Kenya University (MKU), they called for intensified training to bridge the widening gap. They said mediation has proven to be one of the most effective and time-saving mechanisms for resolving disputes, warning that the limited number of trained mediators is slowing progress in the justice system.
Led by Judy Ngayu, the Director of Mount Kenya University's Institute of International and Development Law (IIDLAW), the experts urged both the government and academic institutions to invest more in mediation training. They noted that court referrals to mediation have increased sharply in recent years, with most cases ending in amicable settlement, a clear sign of the approach's growing acceptance.
They said the shortage calls for urgent intervention, as thousands of cases that could be resolved through mediation continue to clog the courts. 'There's a clear gap between the number of mediators available and the demand for their services. That's why MKU, through IIDLAW, has intensified efforts to train qualified mediators who can serve across the country,' Ms Ngayu said.
Through a partnership with the Suluhu Mediation Centre, MKU now offers professional certification and specialised courses in areas such as commercial, domestic violence, and family mediation. Senior Resident Magistrate Adelaide Sisenda, one of the graduates, emphasised the need to prioritize mediation to ease court congestion and promote reconciliation. 'Our courts are overwhelmed with disputes that could be resolved through mediation. We need a stronger policy framework and continuous training to professionalise the field,' she said.
Suluhu Mediation Centre Director Maina Migwi added that establishing common training standards and enacting a national Mediation Act would help regulate and strengthen the profession.