Maraga: Projects to stall as Government cuts budget

Chief Justice David Maraga (PHOTO: FILE)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Chief Justice David Maraga on Tuesday said budget cut in the current financial year is likely to affect operations of the Judiciary with the ongoing projects across the country stalling.

Speaking in Nairobi, Maraga said the Judiciary requested for Sh31.2 billion to support its operation in the 2018/19 financial year but ended up with Sh14.5 billion which is not enough to implement most of the projects.

“We are at a loss on what to do with the allocation as it is now, it means a number of projects especially on construction across the country will literally stop affecting service delivery,” Maraga said.

“More than 70 per cent of court construction projects will stall following the budget cut and expiry of World Bank funding in December,” he said adding that World Bank funding which caters for 29 per cent of the projects expires in December and there seems to be no willingness to extend that period.

This means that the 41 government funded projects which are at various stages will stall. These are Homabay, Kabarnet, Marsabit, Amagoro, Kandara, Machakos, Supreme COURT, Kiambu law Courts, Embu, Mandera, narok,Eldoret, Othaya, Bomet, Garsen,Mombasa, Kitale, Neri, Maseno and Makadara.

Out of the Sh31.2 billion Judiciary requested, Sh19.8billion was to be set aside for recurrent budget while development and resource requirement were to take Sh11.4 billion and Sh891 million respectively.

Maraga noted that when Parliament passed appropriation act, Judiciary budget was further reduced to 14.5 billion

Under the new budget development was allocated Sh50 million compared to 2.6billion in 2014/15 financial year , money to cover new and ongoing projects, repairs, maintenance, ICT infrastructure, “we are at a loss on how to use Sh50 million for such crucial projects.”