John Kundu Khisa v Florence N. Wanjala [2013] KEHC 2088 (KLR)

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REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT BUNGOMA

CIVIL SUIT NO. 18 OF2005

JOHN KUNDU KHISA…………………………… APPLICANT

VERSUS

FLORENCE N. WANJALA........................................................... DEFENDANT

RULING

By anapplication brought under Order 12 Rule 7 of the Civil Procedure Rules and Section 3 &3A of the Civil Procedure Act, the applicant seeks inter alia that the order made on 13th December 2012, dismissing theplaintiffs/applicant suit be setaside and the suit be reinstated forhearing on merit.

Theplaintiffs suit was dismissed for want of prosecution under Order 17 of the Civil Procedure Rules.The Applicant argueshis former advocatesre-located and failed toinform him.Secondly that he was not served with notice dismissing the suit and was therefore condemnedunheard. Healsoblamed theunavailabilityof enoughjudges hence the backlog.The Respondents opposed the application and submitted that the applicant has not explained the delay.He averredthe applicant has changed advocates 4 times therefore lack of diligence on the part of Mr. Lel cannotbe anexcuse.

Mr. Samba submitted further that the Respondents will not geta fair trial due to unavailabilityof crucial witnesses.Alnasir Visram J (as he then was) inConcorde Container Services Vs. JosephM. Kago and another eKLR quoted the court of appeal of England decision of Allen vs. Sir Alfred McAlpine & Sons [1968] All E.R which established the principles for governingapplications for dismissal for want of prosecution as;

1. Delay isinordinate.

2. Inordinate delay is inexcusable

The defendantis likely to be prejudiced by the delay.

Visram J, then went ahead to allow the application stating the delay was explained and “it was not inordinate to remove a litigant from the seat of justice.The aim of the court is to sustain suits rather than throwingthem out of procedural defaults.”

Upon perusalof the court file, there isa duplicatecopy of the notice of dismissal of suit. I noted at thetime of making the dismissal order that therewas no proof the applicant was served.Therehave been severalapplications in this file, which have been determined previously. The recordings in the court file shows the plaintiffon 22. 4.2010 fixeda hearing date in the registry for 27th October 2010. On this date there was no appearance and the matter was taken out of the hearing list.

The next listing was on 22. 10. 12 when a date was given fordismissal.This was approximately 2 years when the file laid idle.

In my view, two years is inordinate but I amalive to the fact thatpartlyin the year 2011 – 2012 the Bungoma advocates went on a go-slow demanding for posting of additional judges to reduce the backlog of cases. Thisis one of theexplanation given in thesupplementary affidavit explaining the delay and I find it credible.

The Respondents have statedthat some of their crucial witnesses areunavailablehence they willsufferprejudice.Theydid not explain the reasonfortheirunavailability.I findthey can be compensated by way of costs.

Consequently I allow the application for the reason that the delay was explained and is excusable. The applicant was not served with notice dismissing the suit and therespondents can be compensated by way ofthrown away costs. The order dismissing the suit be and is hereby set aside. I proceed to assessthrown away costs for the 1st, 3rd Respondentat Kshs. 15,000/= to be paid within 45 days from the date of this Ruling.In default execution to issue.

RULING DATED, SIGNED, READand DELIVERED in open court this17thday ofSeptember2013.

A. OMOLLO

JUDGE.

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