Court stops Treasury from implementing the 50% Judiciary budget cut

The High Court on Tuesday, October 29, stopped the National Treasury minister, Ukur Yatani, from implementing a circular which proposes to cut Judiciary funding by 50 per cent.

Justice James Makau issued the temporary order pending the hearing of a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

The judge further directed that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) provides a detailed report disclosing how the proposed budget cut would affect access and administration of justice.

On Monday, October 28, Macharia Njeru, a member of the JSC, warned that the decision to slash down Judiciary budget allocations will have a negative justice delivery in the country.

Njeru, who represents the LSK in the Commission, called for a speedy resolution towards the reinstatement of the funds which were withdrawn by CS Yatani as part of efforts to cut the Government’s recurrent expenditure by 50 per cent.

LSK has sued Yatani over the directive, arguing it will lead to immediate suspension of judicial service weeks, operations of mobile courts and all tribunal sittings, roll-out of the ICT programme and internet services to all courts in Kenya.