Kenya's branch of government responsible for administration of courts and judges, receiving Sh30.4 billion in the 2026-27 budget amid judicial appointments and impeachment proceedings.
NAIROBI, Kenya May 22 – The Judicial Service Commission Kenya has announced that the Judiciary will begin publishing individual performance data for judges and judicial officers as part of efforts to enhance accountability, transparency and efficiency within the justice system. …
… He also commended the Judiciary for establishing special courts to handle hate speech cases, saying stronger inter-agency cooperation would be key in preserving peace ahead of the 2027 elections. …
… It further urged the Judiciary and the ODPP to ensure public interest and victims’ rights remain central in such agreements, while calling on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to strengthen safeguards against abuse of negotiated settlements. …
NAIROBI, Kenya May 12 – Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya has assured newly appointed Judges of the High Court and the Environment and Land Court (ELC) of the Judiciary’s full administrative and operational support as they assume office. …
… Committee Chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West) questioned the rationale behind the allocation, noting that officers assigned to Parliament, the Judiciary and other State institutions are ordinarily facilitated under those institutions’ budgets. …
NAIROBI, Kenya May 7 – Chief Justice Martha Koome on Thursday led the Judiciary family and members of the legal fraternity in honouring the late Frederick Ochieng during closing of file proceedings held in Nairobi. …
… 63 trillion in projected revenue and a deficit of Ksh.1.11 trillion, which will be financed by domestic borrowing of Ksh.995.7 billion The Ksh.4.8 trillion will be shared under three main categories: Ksh.2.89 trillion at the national government level, which includes the Judiciary …
… The application further argues that allowing Parliament to proceed would effectively grant it adjudicative powers reserved for the Judiciary, as it would be determining alleged misconduct and imposing punitive consequences in the form of withdrawal of benefits. …
Treasury CS John Mbadi has proposed Sh50 billion for Parliament, Sh30.4 billion for the Judiciary, and Sh5.1 billion for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in the 2026-27 budget, saying these allocations will intensify anti-corruption efforts and reinforce public sector integrity. The budget also includes Sh51.5 billion for water and sewerage infrastructure, forest conservation allocations, and environment management funding.
Treasury CS John Mbadi has proposed Sh50 billion for Parliament, Sh30.4 billion for the Judiciary, and Sh5.1 billion for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in the 2026-27 budget, saying these allocations will intensify anti-corruption efforts and reinforce public sector integrity. The budget also includes Sh51.5 billion for water and sewerage infrastructure, forest conservation allocations, and environment management funding.
The Controller of Budget flagged defiance of austerity measures in the national government's nine-month expenditure report, showing Ksh.17.3 billion spent on domestic and foreign travel, with State House and the Foreign Affairs Department among the largest spenders despite President Ruto's calls to reduce travel expenditure.
The Senate will challenge a High Court decision that awarded former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua KSh50 million in compensation for infringement of his right to a fair trial, with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi arguing the court's finding was erroneous and that the Judiciary should not interfere with the Senate's constitutional mandate to conduct impeachment trials.
Rigathi Gachagua, the former Deputy President and Democracy for the Citizens Party leader, says he is ready for the High Court's verdict on his impeachment case, set for Monday, June 8. Gachagua was impeached on October 17, 2024, after the Senate found him guilty of charges including violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct; he has since challenged the impeachment in court, arguing he was denied a fair hearing and adequate public participation.
Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority rolled out a minor traffic offences enforcement framework on June 1, 2026, allowing motorists to settle penalties via Police Notification of Traffic Offence without court appearance. The framework, developed with the National Police Service and other agencies, aims to enhance compliance, transparency and efficiency in enforcement.
A TIFA poll conducted in May 2026 among 2,013 adults across all 47 counties found that 74 percent of respondents believe Kenya is moving in the wrong direction, driven primarily by rising living costs, unemployment, and taxation. Nearly two-thirds of households say they are worse off economically than during the 2022 General Election.
A petition tabled in the National Assembly by former Taita Taveta governor John Mruttu and 22 others seeks to reform succession laws, citing concerns that millions of acres of land and other assets remain registered in the names of deceased persons due to lengthy and costly inheritance processes. The petitioners argue that succession procedures under the current legal framework are complex, costly and inaccessible to ordinary citizens, and that assets tied up in unresolved cases cannot easily be used as collateral, transferred to beneficiaries or developed productively.
A High Court judge has issued a conservatory order requiring the NTSA to keep detailed records of all payments made under the instant penalty system for traffic offences, which launched on June 1, 2026. The ruling does not halt enforcement but sets up a legal challenge ahead of a scheduled hearing on the matter.
Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority will roll out a modernised enforcement framework for minor traffic offences from June 1, 2026, allowing motorists to receive Police Notifications of Traffic Offence via SMS and email, in some cases avoiding court appearance.
Kenya's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has proposed a Sh33.4 billion allocation to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to address funding gaps ahead of the 2027 General Election, with funds designated for ballot papers, KIEMS kits, voter registration, transport, civic education, and poll officials.
The Judicial Service Commission Kenya announced that the Judiciary will begin publishing individual performance data for judges and judicial officers to enhance accountability, transparency and efficiency. The data will measure case clearance rates, backlog management, case flow efficiency and public perception.
Newly sworn-in National Cohesion and Integration Commission Chairman Kepha Omae has called on political leaders and citizens to reject divisive rhetoric ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging restraint and warning that freedom of expression should not undermine national unity. He is also appealing to Parliament to fast-track the enactment of the proposed NCIC Act 2026 to strengthen the commission's mandate.
The National Integrity Alliance has criticised the plea bargain agreement that led to the withdrawal of corruption charges against former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his co-accused in a Ksh.73.4 million case, arguing the deal risks weakening Kenya's fight against corruption.
Winfridah Mokaya, Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, assured newly appointed High Court and Environment and Land Court judges of full administrative and operational support during an induction session, noting that the appointments strengthen judicial capacity to reduce case backlog and improve access to timely justice.
The National Police Service has defended a Sh1.9 billion allocation for security of government buildings and VIP protection after lawmakers raised concerns about the spending during budget scrutiny. MPs questioned the rationale for the allocation, citing poor conditions in police stations, and sought clarification on additional Sh5–6 billion funds for ward policing and police station operations.
Chief Justice Martha Koome led the Judiciary in honouring late Court of Appeal Judge Frederick Ochieng during closing of file proceedings in Nairobi. Justice Ochieng, who passed away in September 2025 after decades in legal practice and judicial service, was remembered by CJ Koome as a jurist of rare distinction who upheld the Constitution and dispensed justice with compassion.
The National Assembly has invited the public to submit views on the 2026/27 budget estimates through hearings scheduled for May 13–15 in various counties and written submissions due by May 25.
New judges appointed to Kenya's High Court include officers from the Kenya Defence Force and Kenya Revenue Authority, bringing fresh perspectives to the judiciary from backgrounds outside the legal profession.
A petition has been filed at Milimani Law Courts seeking to halt parliamentary review of a former President's retirement benefits, arguing that Sections 4 and 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act conflict with Article 151(3) of the Constitution, which protects such benefits from being varied to the holder's disadvantage.
President William Ruto urged newly sworn-in judges to stand firm in making difficult decisions and choose what is right even when unpopular. At a State House ceremony, Ruto oversaw the swearing-in of 24 High Court judges, 13 Environment and Land Court judges, and 12 COMESA Court judges, described as the largest judicial intake in Kenya's history.
Law Society of Kenya President Charles Kanjama has raised concerns over the conduct of court-annexed mediation processes, warning that complex legal matters must remain under the oversight of Advocates of the High Court to safeguard the integrity of justice. Kanjama cited instances where mediations have proceeded without lawyers present despite party representation, mediators stepping into roles reserved for legal counsel, and non-advocate mediators allegedly soliciting clients or imposing fees.
The Standard's editorial says the media industry in Kenya is in crisis, with 90 per cent of outlets unable to pay salaries and over 2,000 journalists losing jobs in five years. The Standard Group claims the government owes it Sh1.2 billion in pending advertising bills, which it characterizes as a systematic attack on press freedom.
President Ruto addressed the swearing-in of 49 judges (24 High Court, 13 Environment and Land Court, and 12 COMESA Court judges) at State House, urging them to uphold integrity and make difficult decisions even when unpopular, while emphasizing that judicial independence must be matched with accountability and professionalism.
The National Treasury has presented a budget estimate of Ksh.4.82 trillion for the financial year beginning July 2026, the highest in Kenya's history. The Treasury plans to borrow over Ksh.1.1 trillion from the domestic market to meet expenditure demands, despite expecting economic growth to slow to 5.0 per cent from a projected 5.3 per cent.
Former Independent Policing Oversight Authority chairperson Anne Makori faced questioning about her tenure at the agency. Makori had previously applied for the position of Judiciary Chief Deputy Registrar.
Justice Mohamed Warsame has warned that new rules operationalising the Fair Administrative Action Act, spearheaded by Chief Justice Martha Koome, risk narrowing judicial review and rolling back gains secured by the 2010 Constitution. He appeared before the Judicial Service Commission to argue that the reforms shift the framework from its post-2010 evolution as a constitutional mechanism for enforcing rights and fairness to a narrower process-focused doctrine.
This opinion piece argues that Kenya's progress depends not on electoral cycles or leadership changes, but on activating the judiciary as a force for constitutional accountability. The author contends that courts can enforce transparency, timelines, and resource protection where the executive and parliament have failed, and that citizens must view litigation as a tool for national transformation rather than a last resort.