The Judiciary can now rest easy after the National Treasury restored its budget for the financial year 2019/20.
This means planned Judiciary activities will go on as planned.
“We wish to confirm that the National Treasury has restored the Judiciary recurrent and development budget for financial year 2019/20,” Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Amadi, said in a letter addressed to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
The move comes just days after an outburst by Chief Justice David Maraga on budget cuts, a situation that has crippled their functions by the day.
Maraga pointed an accusing finger on the Executive saying there are attempts to control the Judiciary, making it a ‘puppet’.
The CJ said that since 2014, the Judiciary budget has been shrinking, with the institution receiving a paltry 0.69 percent of the national budget this financial year.
LSK, on it’s part, welcomed the move saying restoration of Judiciary funds by the National Treasury points to constitutionalism and rule of law.
“We hope there will be no further disruption on operational independence of the Judiciary,” LSK President Allen Gichuhi said.
LSK had filed a constitutional petition on October 25, and obtained interim orders compelling the National Treasury to fully implement duly approved Judiciary budget by drawing necessary funds from the Consolidated Fund.
