Abstract
This article engages in an empirical review of sentencing in Kenya. It argues that huge
disparities exist in sentencing thus undermining public confidence and the realization of
the goals of the system. The development of comprehensive sentencing guidelines is
recommended as a panacea to the unwarranted discrepancies in sentencing. It is
argued that sentencing guidelines are not intended to impede judicial discretion but
rather to provide a framework within which the discretion would be exercised.