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{
    "id": 647708,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/647708/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 181,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ababu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "We have had a scenario where many Kenyans express doubt as to just how independent the Judiciary is. Previously, the argument has always been that the Judiciary cannot fulfil some of these high expectations because of not being truly liberated in terms of financing. I am happy today that six or so years after we enacted the Constitution, and four years late from the date when this piece of legislation should have been enacted, we are finally seized of this Bill. We are finally setting the Judiciary free. The Judiciary can conduct its affairs freely and meet its expenses without any hurdles. I have had occasion to go round the country to visit various judicial stations from when I served as Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs in the 10th Parliament. We toured our judicial stations across the country to see the state of the institutional establishment. Again, a year or two ago, the PAC visited various judicial institutions across the country, including in Kakamega, Kisumu, Runyenjes and here in Nairobi. One recurring theme is the constraints that the Judiciary has in terms of fulfilling the basic administrative necessities to enable it operate effectively. I hope that among the mechanisms that this law will provide is that the Judiciary will be able to devolve basic operations like budgeting and procurement. You will find a situation in many of these places where procurement for basic things like paper has to be done centrally from Nairobi, making it very difficult for stations outside Nairobi to operate effectively. With the exponential growth of the Judiciary in far-flung places – I have a new court being constructed in Budalang’i and many other places now have access to court houses and facilities – it will be important for the Chief Registrar to devolve a lot of these administrative functions and ensure that all these stations are provided with sufficient funds to undertake their basic administrative work at that very local level, with the rider that we must expect the highest level of accountability in the utilisation of the funds that will be provided for this purpose. I support this Bill, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Thank you."
}