Marsabit:The Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission recently conducted public consultations to discuss their proposed budgets for the Financial Year 2027/28. The discussions aimed at expanding access to justice, reducing case backlogs, and enhancing the quality and timeliness of judicial services.
According to Kenya News Agency, Deputy Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Paul Ndemo, speaking on behalf of the Chief Registrar Winfridah Mokaya at a public hearing in Marsabit, emphasized the importance of public participation. He highlighted that such consultations not only meet constitutional requirements but also allow citizens to influence budget priorities and enhance accountability within the justice system.
During the Financial Year 2025/26, the Judiciary resolved 576,162 cases compared to 561,580 new cases filed, achieving a case clearance rate of 103 percent. Technological initiatives like the Urithi Portal and Mahakama Popote have facilitated the faster processing of succession matters and enabled the resolution of 22,516 cases through virtual judicial capacity.
For the upcoming financial year, the Judiciary has requested Sh50.7 billion against an indicative ceiling of Sh30.4 billion, revealing a financing gap of approximately Sh20.4 billion. Key priorities include reducing case backlog, expanding Alternative Justice Systems and mediation, fortifying election-related dispute resolution, advancing technology, and improving court infrastructure and human-resource capacity.
The Judiciary has urged the public and justice stakeholders to provide constructive feedback to help fine-tune its plans, ensuring resources are effectively used to improve access, timeliness, and quality of justice services.
Participants at the forum, including Marsabit High Court Presiding Judge Francis Rayola and Head of Station Christine Wekesa, called for increased funding towards expediting case resolutions, completing ongoing court infrastructure projects, and establishing new courts in remote areas. Assistant Director of Finance John Waweru presented the Judiciary’s budget proposals, while Assistant Director of Finance Steven Imbusi presented those of the JSC.
