This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
The National Treasury's decision to cut the Judiciary's budget by Ksh.2.9 billion has sent shockwaves through the country's third arm of government, with several courts facing suspension and others closed indefinitely.
According to an internal memo from Chief Registrar Anne Amadi, the belt-tightening measures include the suspension of all mobile court sessions and service weeks from October to December 2019, as well as the suspension of all retreats and workshops outside the work station unless there is donor funding or for statutory requirements.
The budget cut saw a drastic reduction of Ksh.1.49 billion from the recurrent expenditure and Ksh.1.4 billion from the development expenditure.
The Law Society of Kenya has sued the National Treasury, claiming that the move interferes with the independence of the judiciary and the right of the public to access services rendered by the judiciary.
Already, the judiciary is reeling from a perennial shortage of judges, with a 14-judge deficit in the Court of Appeal following the elevation of Chief Justice Maraga and his deputy Philomena Mwilu to the Supreme Court.
Published on October 28, 2019 by Citizen TV.
