Kenya: Koome Halts Hiring of Additional Superior Court Judges Citing Budgetary Constraints

Nairobi — The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has cancelled advertisements for sixteen judge positions in superior courts due to financial constraints.

Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the comission, announced Wednesday that planned hiring of eleven Judges of the Court of Appeal and five High Court Judges will not proceed as planned.

The JSC attributed the cancellation to budgetary cuts.

“This is to notify the general public and the applicants and/or shortlisted candidates that, owing to financial constraints caused by budget cuts, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has canceled the advertisements for the following positions,” Koome stated.

The commission had advertised the vacancies on February 9, 2024.

By law, under the Judicature Act, the Court of Appeal is required to have no fewer than twelve judges and a maximum of thirty.

A sitting at the Court of Appeal typically consists of a three-judge bench, though it may go up to five judges in some cases.

Judges of the Court of Appeal elect a President from among themselves for a non-renewable term of five years.

The Registrar of the Court of Appeal is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the court.

Currently, the Court of Appeal has permanent benches in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri, and Kisumu.

It also has sub-registries in Nakuru, Eldoret, Garissa, Busia, Kisii, Meru, Malindi, and Kakamega, where matters are filed and judges visit on a rotational basis.

The Court of Appeal handles appeals arising from decisions of the High Court and courts of equal status including the Employment and Labour Relations Court, Environment and Land Court, as well as tribunals.

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