President William Ruto addressing the National Productivity and Performance Conference at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi, June 19, 2026. /PCS
President William Ruto has defended his administration’s engagement with the Judiciary, saying deliberate reforms and support for judges have improved the performance of Kenya’s justice system.
Speaking on Friday during the National Productivity and Performance Conference at the Kenya School of Government (KSG) in Lower Kabete, Nairobi, the President said his government has prioritised an independent Judiciary while also strengthening its capacity through appointments and funding support.
“We have worked together with the Kenyan Judiciary,” Ruto said. “I did make commitments to work with an independent judiciary.”
He said one of his earliest actions in office was to address long-standing gaps in judicial appointments. “My first act as president was to appoint and swear in judges that had not been sworn in for some time,” he said.
Ruto added that his administration committed to supporting the Judiciary financially, within competing national priorities. “I also undertook that I was going to, to the extent possible with competing interests, support the judiciary with budget,” he said.
While acknowledging expectations for greater funding, he said the government has maintained steady support. “I know I haven't measured up to their full expectation, but we have kept pace,” Ruto said.
He highlighted judicial recruitment over the last three years as a key milestone in strengthening the justice system. “In fact, in the last three years, the judiciary has hired, and I have appointed, 92 judges, the highest in Kenya's history by one president,” he said.
According to the President, the reforms are already producing results within the Judiciary. “And we have done so because we believe that it is the right thing to do,” he said.
Ruto said improved staffing has contributed to better case management and reduced delays in court processes. “And as a result, we are beginning to see results,” he said.
He pointed to improved efficiency in the handling of cases, noting a historic reduction in backlog. “As I just said, for the first time, the judiciary reduced their caseload by almost a third,” he said.
The President further said the Judiciary has achieved a milestone in case resolution. “And have actually resolved more cases than were filed,” he said.
Ruto described the trend as evidence of steady progress in judicial performance. “So I think we are making progress,” he said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of broader justice reforms, including the expansion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. He has previously noted that court-annexed mediation has returned more than Sh52 billion to the economy and restored over 8,000 family relationships since 2016.
The President also said the Judiciary recorded a case clearance rate of 104 per cent last year, further reducing backlog by nearly a third. He has urged continued investment in court systems, saying stronger judiciaries are key to stability and development.
Ruto has also argued that funding the Judiciary should be viewed as a strategic national investment. “Funding our judiciaries is not an act of generosity. It is a strategic investment in stability and growth,” he said.
He has pledged to rally African leaders to support stronger, independent courts across the continent, alongside investment in judicial infrastructure, technology, and training.
