Kenya’s judiciary is grappling with severe underfunding in the 2025/2026 national budget, receiving just Sh23.7 billion against its request for Sh40 billion—while Members of Parliament have allocated themselves Sh73 billion, more than three times the judiciary’s share. The stark disparity threatens ongoing judicial reforms and access to justice across the country. Budget Breakdown: Judiciary vs Parliament Judiciary allocation: Sh23.7 billion (only 59% of its Sh40 billion request) Recurrent expenditure: Sh18.1 billion (salaries and operations) Development vote: Sh5.6 billion (court construction and automation) Parliament’s self-allocation: Sh73 billion Chief Justice Martha Koome had sought funds to hire over 100 judges and magistrates,…
Author: Nusurah Nuhu
Kenya’s political engines are already roaring — more than two years before the 2027 General Election. What should be a season of service delivery has morphed into an all-out campaign, with both President William Ruto and the opposition criss-crossing the country, drumming up support under the guise of development tours. President William Ruto, actively laying the groundwork for his re-election bid, has intensified his focus on the traditionally opposition-leaning Nyanza region. He has made five high-profile visits to the area since the political sidelining of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, aiming to inherit the political base of the late Raila…
A bill currently before Kenya’s National Assembly has drawn fierce criticism for granting the government unprecedented powers to monitor citizens’ online activities without judicial oversight. The Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Aldai MP Marianne Kitany, proposes changes that critics warn could erode constitutional rights to privacy, freedom of speech, and expression. The legislation seeks to empower the Cabinet Secretary for Information to mandate internet service providers (ISPs), telecom companies, and cyber operators to install surveillance tools, including “signature-creation devices”, enabling real-time monitoring of users’ data. ISPs would also be required to assign unique, identifiable meter numbers…
The government is under scrutiny for requesting an additional Sh5 billion to bolster the Hustler Fund, even as Sh6 billion remains unpaid by nearly 10 million borrowers who have disappeared. The revelation, made during a parliamentary committee session, has sparked heated debate over the sustainability of the flagship financial inclusion programme championed by President William Ruto. The Principal Secretary of the State Department for Co-operatives and MSME Development, Susan Mang’eni, disclosed to the National Assembly’s Trade Committee that Sh5 billion to Sh6.3 billion is at risk of being written off if ongoing recovery efforts fail. “About 10 million Kenyans borrowed…