Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

President William Ruto’s administration has increased the allocation to the Judiciary in its first-ever budget since taking power on September 13, 2023.

Ruto on Thursday morning April 27, 2023, chaired a special Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi to consider the administration’s inaugural budget — 2023/2024 financial year.

A Cabinet dispatch shows that Ruto’s administration has increased the judiciary’s allocation by Ksh4.1 billion – from Ksh18.8 billion to Ksh22.9 billion.

According to a Cabinet dispatch, the move is in line with Kenya Kwanza’s pledge to strengthen and institutionalize judicial independence.

“In line with Kenya Kwanza’s pledge to strengthen and institutionalize Judicial Independence, the judiciary’s allocation has been increased from Ksh18.8 billion to Ksh22.9 billion in the next financial year,” the dispatch reads in part.

In November 2022 during the launch of the State of the Judiciary and the Administration of Justice annual report, Ruto promised to increase the allocation to the Judiciary by at least Ksh3 billion annually for the next five years.

Kenya’s economy

The Cabinet dispatch states that Kenya’s economy is expected to grow by 6.1 per cent in 2023 and maintain that momentum over the medium term.

According to the Cabinet dispatch, the growth outlook will be supported by a broad-based sector growth,
including the continued strong performance of the service sector and recoveries in agriculture, while the public sector consolidates.

Revenue Collection is projected at Ksh2.89 trillion (17.8 per cent of GDP) in the FY 2023/24, an increase from FY2022/23 which stands at Ksh2.52 trillion and is expected to grow further to Ksh4.19 trillion.

Expenditure is projected at Ksh3.59 trillion (22.1 per cent of GDP) in FY 2023/24. Recurrent expenditure will comprise Ksh2.47 trillion (15.2 per cent of GDP) and Development of Ksh689.1 billion (4.2 per cent of GDP).