The Kenyan government has announced plans to appoint 60 High Court judges and 168 resident magistrates by March 2026 to strengthen the judiciary and reduce the backlog of cases.
President William Ruto made the announcement while presiding over the swearing-in of 15 Court of Appeal judges at State House, noting that the move is part of wider efforts to expand judicial capacity and improve court efficiency.
He said the administration has continued to invest in strengthening the judiciary’s human capital to ensure it has the skills and institutional depth needed to effectively discharge its constitutional mandate.
Government to Appoint 228 Judges and Magistrates to Cut Case Backlog. Photo: Courtesy.
The recruitment of High Court judges is being conducted in phases, with 20 appointed in December 2022, another 20 in May 2024, and the final 20 expected to be selected through a process set to begin on February 4, 2026.
President Ruto said the Judicial Service Commission has already recruited 168 resident magistrates, significantly boosting service delivery in lower courts.
He noted that by December 2025, the Court of Appeal was handling 14,300 pending cases, with a clearance rate of 68 percent, highlighting the need to expand judicial capacity.
The President added that government support goes beyond recruitment, pointing out that the judiciary’s budget rose from Sh18.8 billion in 2023 to Sh21.8 billion in 2024.
To address case backlogs, the Judiciary has appointed additional magistrates and rolled out digital reforms, including nationwide e-filing, to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
The Mahakama Popote initiative allows judicial officers to hear cases remotely, helping redistribute workloads from busy courts, while AI-powered transcription has improved the speed and accuracy of proceedings.
The Judiciary has also boosted case resolution through Small Claims Courts, mobile courts, Service Weeks, and expanded alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, measures aimed at reducing backlogs and improving access to justice nationwide.
