Operations in courts across the country may be grounded in the next couple of months given the goverment's latest declaration amid tough recession.
Acting Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani on Wednesday ruled out chances of giving extra money to the Judiciary, adding that the country is undergoing financial downturn.
Yatani also insisted that the budget cuts affects all government department and that the 'Judiciary is not more important than others'.
According to him, Judiciary is part to blame, arguing that most tax evaders have often used courts to take government into unnecessary cycles.
“When we try to collect taxes, people run to the Judiciary to challenge the measures and are given orders stopping us,” he replied while apportioning part of the blame in revenue shortfalls to delayed cases before the courts.
While likening the national budget to that of any household, he said there were competing needs for the limited resources and that everyone should wake to that reality.
“There is nothing that will happen to you if you don’t have three-course meals every time,” he said.
A court has already given interim orders stopping the Treasury CS from slashing the Judicial budget in a case filed by the Judicial Service Commission.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this case, an order is hereby issued restraining the National Treasury, its agents, officers or any persons from implementing a September 24 circular or issuing any unwarranted directive with the same effect on the judiciary’s budget,” said Justice Makau Mutua of the High Court.
Chief Justice David Maraga on Monday accused the executive of witch-hunt, insisting that the budget cuts were made in bad faith by the executive.
Maraga argued that executive has no powers to cut the Judiciary's budget, adding that all approximates and allocations are done in Parliament.
The CJ cited incidents which he believes are planned and executed to embarrass his image by the executive wing of the goverment.