This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
On November 15, 2019, the Treasury made a surprise move by cutting the Judiciary's budget by Sh2.8 billion through a supplementary budget, reversing its earlier decision to increase spending by 2.8 percent to Sh3.13 trillion in its 2019/20 budget.
According to the Treasury, the cuts were made to reduce wasteful spending, including lavish travel, advertising, and trainings. However, the move has been met with resistance from the Judiciary, which claims that the cuts will severely cripple its operations.
Chief Justice David Maraga had earlier complained that the Treasury was starving the Judiciary of funds, a move that threatened to cripple court operations. The Judiciary had been allocated Sh18.9 billion for the fiscal year starting in July, well below its request for Sh33.3 billion.
As a result of the cuts, some courts have stopped working, and a drive to speed up corruption cases has been put on hold. The Judiciary has also suspended circuit courts of appeal in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Nyeri, as well as 53 mobile courts working in remote areas due to lack of money for vehicles and fuel.
Mark Nyamita, a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC), has expressed concern over the move, stating that the Judiciary is losing and will not be able to do its work effectively due to the reduced budget.
