Judicial Service Commission cancels 16 vacancies for judges due to budget cuts

Judicial Service Commission Chairperson Martha Koome. (Photo: JSC Kenya)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Wednesday, January 22, 2025

The cancellation of these vacancies comes just five months after the JSC suspended the recruitment of 11 Court of Appeal judges.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has cancelled 16 vacancies in the office of judges of the superior courts, citing financial constraints.

In a notice on Wednesday, JSC Secretary Winfridah Mokaya confirmed that the decision followed budget cuts.

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"This is to notify the general public and applicants and/or shortlisted candidates that, owing to financial restraints caused by budget cuts, the JSC has called for an advertisement of the positions," the notice reads.

The vacancies, which had been advertised on February 9, 2024, included 11 positions for judges of the Court of Appeal and five for judges of the High Court.

These vacancies were first announced following a government meeting on January 22, 2024, where the executive and legislature pledged support for the Judiciary's request for an increased budget allocation.

However, the JSC's decision to revoke the vacancies comes after an assessment of the budget and priorities, with financial constraints leading to the cancellation.

The revocation notice was published in the Kenya Gazette on January 15, 2025.

Previous announcements

The notices affected previous announcements, including Gazette Notice No. 1076 of January 30, 2024, which declared the 11 vacancies for the Court of Appeal, as well as Gazette Notice No. 4932 of April 22, 2024, which had listed shortlisted candidates and interview schedules.

Additionally, they revoked Gazette Notice No. 1271 of February 5, 2024, which announced the five vacancies for the High Court.

Mokaya expressed regret for the inconvenience the decision caused in the revocation notice. She gave contact details for individuals seeking further clarification.

Those with questions can reach the JSC via telephone at +254202739180 or email at jscsecretariat@jsc.go.ke. They can also visit the JSC offices at CBK Pension Towers, 13th Floor, Harambee Avenue, Nairobi.

The cancellation of these vacancies comes just five months after the JSC suspended the recruitment of 11 Court of Appeal judges on July 3, 2024, due to a directive from the National Treasury to cut expenditure.

This move comes at a time when the Judiciary continues to struggle with a backlog of cases.

Despite repeated calls for additional judges, the capacity challenges in the Judiciary remain unresolved, with the need for more judges critical to reducing case backlogs and ensuring timely justice.