The Judiciary of Kenya has initiated IT reforms calculated to reduce corruption and improve service delivery.

First on the agenda is streamlining the archaic financial administration system, which is paper-based and serves as a tool for unscrupulous court officials to pilfer from the government and engage in corrupt deals.

In the past, the judiciary used the traditional method, with a lot of paperwork that could expose it to corruption by unjust officers, said High Court registrar Lydia Achode. With the IT reform project, she said, the judiciary hopes to engage the services of a local bank in implementing financial administration software, which will significantly improve efficiency in collecting and remitting money to the exchequer.

As a measure of accountability, the judiciary relies on district auditors to check financial operations of the lower courts and submit monthly reports to the High Court. The new system will involve the use of an online account for the deposit of all payments to the judiciary and onward transmission to the exchequer.

As online services are easier to monitor, the judicial officers will track all transactions, which is expected to reduce corruption, Achode said.

The judiciary has already adopted the use of laptops and recording equipment in court rooms, eliminating the need for magistrates and judges to record proceedings by hand. The courts have also improved communication through the use of microphones and pubic address systems.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.