President Ruto hails creation of small claims courts as 20 High Court judges are sworn in
Twenty new High Court judges after being sworn in at State House, Nairobi, on May 14, 2024.
President William Ruto has hailed the establishment of small claims courts across the country, saying it has brought justice closer to the people and significantly reduced the number of cases.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of 20 new High Court judges at State House in Nairobi on Tuesday morning, President Ruto said his government has a strong interest in an effective and efficient Judiciary as the country's economy and security as well as the rights and freedoms of the people depend on it.
“For this reason, we shall not hesitate to make our contribution to the enhancement of the judiciary's capacity to deliver justice in every part of Kenya, especially through support for infrastructure development projects,” Dr Ruto said.
Promoting justice
President Ruto added that the Kenya Kwanza government had increased budgetary allocations to sectors combating corruption, and promoting justice and accountability since the 2022/23 financial year, from Sh87 billion to Sh108 billion in the current financial year.
He pointed out that some of these resources contribute to the judiciary’s infrastructure development, including the construction of courts, staff recruitment, and capacity building for law enforcement agencies.
The swearing-in of the new judges brings to 98 the number of judges that will serve in 45 stations across the country.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will from June 3, embark on interviews to fill the 11 positions advertised for the Court of Appeal judges.
The commission had shortlisted 82 candidates from the applicants but later shortlisted 41 candidates for interviews, among them former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Issack Hassan.
President Ruto added that while the constitutional separation of powers delineates functional boundaries between arms of government, it was crucial to remember that ultimately, all are servants of the people, entrusted with public authority for their benefit.
“At this juncture in our nation's institutional evolution, it is clear where the boundaries of our respective mandates lie. It is time to utilise our capacities and resources to establish collaborative frameworks on issues where we can align and advance the national interest without sacrificing our constitutional autonomy,” he said.
Independent Judiciary
He further said that his government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda acknowledges the critical role of governance institutions, and in particular, the place of a strong and effective Judiciary in Kenya's progress and inclusive prosperity.
Dr Ruto acknowledged that an independent judiciary, an effective executive, a progressive legislature, an open civil society, and a vigilant media are not mutually exclusive but instead, they share a mandate to serve the people and should facilitate each other's efforts.
He called on all arms of the government to strive to appreciate and support each other's work without compromising constitutional principles.
“Ultimately, our legacy will not be evaluated by how stubborn, combative and disagreeable we were, but by our contributions to improving the lives of our people and advancing our nation towards prosperity,” he added.
