This archive report was first published on 7 August 2020.
On August 6, 2020, Chief Justice David Maraga launched the Judiciary Strategic Plan 2019-2023 Performance Management and Measurement Understanding Evaluation Report 2018/19 at the Supreme Court. During the launch, he expressed concerns about the judiciary's budget, which was slashed from Sh14.5 billion to Sh11.5 billion in the last financial year.
According to the Chief Justice, the reduced budget has made it difficult for the judiciary to meet public expectations to resolve court disputes expeditiously. He stated that the high number of cases being filed daily cannot be resolved without corresponding resources and a sufficient workforce.
“As long as the judiciary is underfunded, we will not have any breakthrough in the administration of justice. Kenya is a very litigious country with a high number of cases but without corresponding resources and workforce,” Chief Justice Maraga said.
The judiciary has been at odds with the Executive over the reduced budget, with the CJ claiming that most of their operations have been grounded due to lack of funds. He also warned that even virtual court sessions, which were rolled out during the coronavirus pandemic, will come to a halt if there are no funds.
“It is absurd that a small case like a rent dispute between a landlord and a tenant is taking up to three years when it could be resolved in a matter of days if we had the adequate workforce,” Chief Justice Maraga said.
Parliament's Budget and Appropriation Committee Chair Kanini Kega has assured that the Sh17.4 billion allocated to the judiciary this financial year will not be slashed again. However, the judiciary requires Sh72 billion in the next four years to fully implement their operations.
