Civil society groups under the Police Reforms Working Group have welcomed the move by the National Treasury to restore the Judiciary’s budgetary allocation.
The group said the protests from numerous institutions and wananchi made the Treasury reconsider cutting the budget by Sh3 billion to Sh14.5 billion.
“The Judiciary is an independent and equal arm of the state. Alongside Parliament and the Executive, this basic pillar of our democracy must be respected for the rule of law, justice and human rights to be maintained,” the group said.
The group urged the Judiciary to be prudent and accountable in the use of the funds allocated to it.
“We expect that the restoration of the budget will allow the Judiciary to deliver on its mandated functions of interpreting the laws and the Constitution and administering justice for Kenyans,” the group said.
The National Assembly and the Executive should expedite the formation of a Judiciary Fund in accordance with Article 173 of the Constitution of Kenya, the group urged.
“This will prevent future disputes between the Executive and Judiciary and strengthen the independence of the Judiciary,” it added.
Members of the group include Kenya Human Rights Commission, Defenders Coalition, Independent Medical Legal Unit, Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), International Justice Mission and Amnesty International- Kenya.
Others are Usalama Reforms Forum, International Centre for Transitional Justice, Legal Resources Foundation, Rights Promotion and Protection Centre, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Coalition on Violence against Women and Centre for Minority Rights.
The organisations also urged the President to gazette the names of all 41 persons nominated to be judges by the Judicial Service Commission.
“The failure to gazette has caused a delay in the redeployment of judges and replacement judicial officers who were promoted thus causing a delay in the dispensation of justice for Kenyans,” they said.
