A number of courts across the country will be closed down in coming weeks as budget cut reality hits the Judiciary, it has emerged.
In the supplementary budget by the Treasury, maintenance allocation has been reduced from Sh41 million to Sh21 million, a move that has forced the Judiciary to take painful action.
Among those affected are dilapidated courts across the country, which have already been condemned by the Health ministry.
Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi said Kandara and Wanguru Law Courts are among stations that have been issued closure notices due to overflow of septic tanks and blockage of sewer lines.
“With a 50 per cent reduction on Judiciary’s budget for maintenance of buildings, equipment and other assets and slashing of the development budget, it means some court stations could close down,” she told the Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
She said several courts have been served with closure notices, arguing that the current budget cannot sustain maintenance across the country.
“Half of the budget had been issued as appropriation in aid (AIEs) for maintenance of various court premises.
“A number of court stations have been served with notice of closure by the Department of Public Health due to deteriorating conditions of their infrastructure,” said Amadi.
This comes after Chief Justice David Maraga warned the executive against slashing Sh3 billion, where he argued that several operations will stand paralysed.
Maraga had also accused the Executive of interference, a claim which was dismissed by Treasury acting Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani.