JSC reopens recruitment for 150 judicial officers after funding freeze

Chief Justice Martha Koome. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

The Judicial Service Commission has reopened recruitment for 150 judicial officers across the country after a five-month suspension due to budget shortfalls.

In a Gazette Notice dated June 4, Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the Commission, announced vacancies in the Court of Appeal, High Court and Environment and Land Court.

“Pursuant to section 30 of the Judicial Service Commission Act, and section 3 of the First Schedule of the Judicial Service Act 2011, I, Martha Koome, Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya and on behalf of the Judiciary of Kenya, declare vacancies in the office of the Judge of the Court of Appeal,” said Koome.

Fifteen posts are open in the Court of Appeal, 20 in the High Court and 10 in the Environment and Land Court. 

Sixty vacancies are available for resident magistrates, 40 for adjudicators in the Small Claims Court and five for resident kadhis.

The call for applications, published on the Judiciary’s jobs portal, is the first since January 22 when a previous recruitment drive was suspended.

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary and JSC Secretary Winfred Mokaya noted that the process was halted due to lack of funds.

“We had to suspend recruitment early in the year because the budget could not support onboarding new judges and magistrates,” said Mokaya.

The Commission has urged qualified candidates to submit applications by June 30 at 5 p.m

JSC said it will conduct the hiring competitively and warned against canvassing. It also reiterated that no applicant should pay any fees.

The Judiciary has struggled with staff shortages in recent years, which have affected case backlogs and delayed access to justice in lower and superior courts. 

The renewed recruitment is expected to ease pressure and speed up judicial operations across the country.