Nairobi — President William Ruto has assured the Treasury that he will increase its annual budget by Sh3bn annually, as he took over office.
Ruto hailed the Judiciary for being steadfast in dispensing justice, saying it should not be under-funded.
"To consolidate the place of the judiciary in our constitutional and democratic dispensation, my administration will respect judicial decisions while we cement the place of Kenya as a country anchored on democracy and the rule of law," he stated.
"Our campaign for the financial independence of the judiciary has paid off with the implementation of the judiciary fund on July 1 this year. My administration will scale up the budgetary allocation to the judiciary by an additional Sh3 billion annually for the next five years."
He particularly singled out the Supreme Court which determined a presidential petition that was seeking to nullify his election victory, saying the seven-judge bench demonstrated unmatched independence.
He pledged that his government will continue respecting court decisions in various cases.
President Ruto was set to appoint six Court of Appeal judges on day one of taking over as Kenya's fifth president..
The judges were recommended for appointment six years ago, but immediate former president Uhuru Kenyatta declined to appoint them, saying there were adverse reports against them from the intelligence service.
But when he took an oath of office Tuesday, President Ruto said his first official task will be to appoint the judges.
"To further demonstrate my commitment to the Independence of the judiciary, this afternoon, I will appoint the six judges already nominated for appointment to the Court of Appeal which was done three years ago by the Judicial service commission," he said.
The Head of State said he will preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the six judges Wednesday.
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In June last year, President Ruto's predecessor appointed 34 out of the 41 JSC recommended judges and left out Justices Aggrey Muchelule, George Odunga, Weldon Korir and Prof Joel Ngugi who were to join the Court of Appeal, and Chief Magistrate Makori Evans Kiago and High Court Registrar Judith Omange who were promoted by the JSC to serve as High Court judges.
Kenyatta declined to appoint the judges, citing a confidential intelligence report which was never made public.
Justices Msagha Mbogholi, Omondi Hellen Amollo, Mumbi Ngugi, Francis Tuiyott, Nyamweya Pauline Nyaboke, Jessie Lesiit and Laibuta Imaana are among the seven who were appointed to the Appeal Court in a gazette notice dated June 3.
The delay in the appointment of the Judges had caused frosty relations between the Executive and the Judiciary after former Chief Justice David Maraga decried the crisis caused by the inadequate judges in superior courts, while Attorney General Kihara Kariuki insisted the President will not appoint judges with questionable character adding that the refusal to appoint the JSC nominees was within the law.
