The Cabinet has approved a Ksh 26 billion project that will see Kenya construct a new Supreme Court complex as part of an ambitious plan to modernise the Judiciary and improve access to justice.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The multi-billion-shilling investment, to be implemented in partnership with the World Bank under the Judicial Performance Improvement Project (JPIP) Phase II, will also finance the construction of a dedicated Court of Appeal, a consolidated Tribunals and Judiciary Administration complex, and a modern Kenya Judiciary Academy.

The project was approved during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, June 30, as part of general investments aimed at strengthening public institutions and supporting economic growth.

"Cabinet also endorsed major investments in strategic infrastructure to strengthen public services and accelerate economic growth," the Cabinet dispatch said.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the Cabinet, the investment is expected to strengthen access to justice, improve judicial efficiency and enhance investor confidence by expanding and modernising the country's judicial infrastructure.

The approval comes nearly two years after the Judiciary publicly appealed for the construction of a new Supreme Court building, arguing that the current premises are no longer adequate to meet the institution's constitutional role.

In 2024, Judiciary Registrar Winfridah Mokaya told President William Ruto that the Supreme Court building had outlived its functionality, noting that its design no longer supports the operational needs of Kenya's highest court .

At the time, the Judiciary disclosed that it had already launched an architectural design competition to develop concepts for a modern Supreme Court building that would reflect the stature and responsibilities of the apex court under the Constitution.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja also revealed that discussions were underway to allocate county land adjacent to City Hall for the proposed Supreme Court complex, although the government has yet to officially confirm the project's location.

Besides the new Supreme Court complex, the Judicial Performance Improvement Project Phase II will fund a dedicated Court of Appeal building, a consolidated complex for tribunals and Judiciary administration, and a new Kenya Judiciary Academy to strengthen judicial training.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke