Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has lauded the Kenyan government for driving rapid transformation in the judiciary, citing unprecedented recruitment of judges and magistrates as evidence of progress.
Speaking on Friday, November 21, during the launch of the State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice Report (SOJAR) for the 2024/2025 financial year, Kindiki noted that no previous administration had sworn in as many superior court judges within its first three years in office.
The Deputy President explained that President William Ruto had been scheduled to attend the event but sent his apologies, delegating Kindiki to represent him. Upon arrival at the Supreme Court building, Kindiki was received by Chief Justice Martha Koome and Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu.
Highlighting the government’s achievements, Kindiki revealed that 51 judges of the High Court and Court of Appeal have already been sworn in, with 40 more in the recruitment process and an additional 45 expected next year. He contrasted this with a previous confrontation between the executive and the judiciary in 2022, when six Court of Appeal judges appointed by the prior administration were not sworn in.
“We take pride in the progress made to increase the judiciary’s capacity to serve the people of Kenya through necessary support and resources,” Kindiki asserted.
He also emphasized the expansion of magistrates to address case backlogs at lower courts. According to Kindiki, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has recruited 114 magistrates, with another 100 in the pipeline, bringing the total to 214 recruited in under four years.
While acknowledging that judiciary funding remains limited, Kindiki noted an increase in the budget from Ksh 21 billion in 2022 to Ksh 26 billion currently. He further announced plans to fully operationalize the Judiciary Fund, dormant for 13 years, to allow independent and efficient management of judicial resources.
“The government is committed to ensuring smooth access and management of funds to support the judiciary in delivering timely justice,” Kindiki concluded.
