By Johnson Kanyesige
The Judiciary is to launch a digital tool to monitor the performance of magistrates and judges. It is part of the efforts to curb the case backlog crisis and strengthen accountability and performance of the judicial officers.
According to Supreme Court Justice Mike Chibita, who is the Chairperson of the Judiciary’s Performance Management and Awards Committee, the Performance Enhancement Tool (PET), developed as a home-grown web-based system, seeks to address deficiencies in the justice sector by adopting a 360-degree performance appraisal model.
Chibita said the tool, which will be effective on October 17th, 2025, is tailored specifically for the Judiciary, addressing the shortcomings of previous generic appraisal systems that did not reflect the realities of judicial work.
He said earlier performance appraisal methods relied heavily on borrowed frameworks that failed to capture critical aspects of judicial work, such as case complexity, case weight, and input from court users. That, he said, created gaps in fairness and objectivity, as well as missed opportunities for professional growth.
It will incorporate feedback from multiple sources, including the judicial officers themselves, supervisors, peers, subordinates, and, importantly, lawyers, prosecutors, and litigants.
