The Judiciary has reopened the hiring of judges, announcing 45 vacancies across three courts.
In a Gazette Notice published on June 3, Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), declared 15 vacancies in the Court of Appeal, 20 in the High Court, and 10 in the Environment and Land Court (ELC).
“Pursuant to Section 30 of the Judicial Service Act and Section 3, Part II of the First Schedule of the Judicial Service Act, 2011, I, Martha Karambu Koome, Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya, for and on behalf of the Judiciary of Kenya, declare vacancies in the Office of Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Republic of Kenya.” the notice read in part.
The announcement came nearly a year after Koome suspended all recruitment, attributing the move to the government's decision to cut the Judiciary's budget by at least 15 per cent.
Koome said the budget cuts forced the Judiciary to limit expenditure to only critical and essential services.
The CJ also claimed tragic death of Makadara Magistrate Monica Kivuti also necessitated restructuring and reallocation of the budget to enhance security within the courts.
In 2024, Koome warned that failure to recruit more Appellate Court judges on account of a limited budget would greatly hamper the Judiciary's operations.
With improved fiscal support, the JSC is now moving to fill critical positions, with the Judges set to be appointed set to serve in the respective courts as stipulated under the Constitution and the Judicial Service Act.
According to the notice, the position for a judge at the Court of Appeal comes with a retirement age of 70 years, with the option of early retirement at 65. This is per Article 167 (1) of the Constitution.
Court of Appeal judges who get the job will be entitled to a gross monthly remuneration ranging from KSh 775,845 to KSh 1,187,152, based on guidelines from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The notice also details the strict constitutional and statutory requirements needed to get the job, including a law degree from a recognised university or its equivalent.
Candidates are also expected to have at least 10 years of experience as a superior court judge. The qualifications must also meet the standards set out in Article 166 of the Constitution and the Judicial Service Act.
