Economy

Judiciary has little cash for poll disputes, says Maraga

parliament

The Judiciary proposed an amendment to the Political Parties Act. file photo | nmg

The Judiciary has raised concerns over low funding as the country heads to a hotly contested General Election.

Chief Justice David Maraga said the Judiciary faces a resource constraint even as it prepares to handle increased volumes of electoral disputes after the August 8 polls.

“We submitted a budget of Sh1.9 billion to the National Treasury to be able to adequately manage election disputes.

Unfortunately, we were only given Sh200 million. This is like a drop in the ocean. It cannot work at all,’ he said.

Compared to the 2013 General Election, Justice Maraga indicated the Judiciary was expecting to handle more electoral disputes after the August 8 polls, especially from wards.

In the last General Election, a total of 188 cases were heard and determined by the Judiciary and the Political Party Dispute Tribunal (PPDT).

In the just concluded 2017 party primaries, the PPDT was unable to sit in various courts as Parliament was yet to approve amendments to the Political Parties Act.

The Judiciary proposed to Parliament an amendment to the Political Parties Act 2011, to empower the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to appoint at least 15 ad hoc members of the PPDT to sit in various part of the country.

The move was aimed at enhancing capacity, access and efficiency in the resolution of electoral disputes across the counties.