This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
On November 4, 2019, Chief Justice David Maraga expressed his dissatisfaction with the Kenyatta government's handling of the Judiciary's budget. Speaking at a press briefing, he accused the government of sidelining the third arm of government.
Maraga's concerns stem from a recent directive by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, which proposed drastic budgetary cuts of up to 50 per cent in the Judiciary's recurring and development budget. The CJ argued that the National Treasury does not have the power to tamper with the funds allocated to the Judiciary once it has been passed by Parliament.
Maraga also claimed that officials, including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, want him out of office before the end of the year. He expressed his frustration with the government's treatment of him, citing a recent incident during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa County, where he was not recognized and accorded the respect due to his office.
Furthermore, Maraga highlighted the issue of 232 top-of-the-range vehicles that the Judiciary intends to buy at a cost of Sh11 million each. He argued that the CJ's office should be treated with the same respect as the Speaker's and the President's offices, and that the Judiciary should not be seen as illegitimate children.
