‘We will not defy court orders,’ Ruto says at swearing-in of Appeal Court judges
President Ruto says his administration will respect all court rulings as 15 new Court of Appeal judges are sworn in to cut case backlog...
✨ Key Highlights
During the swearing-in of 15 new Court of Appeal judges in Nairobi on Wednesday, President William Ruto affirmed his administration's commitment to upholding the rule of law, vowing never to defy court orders. He emphasized the judiciary's independence is key to Kenya's democracy, despite his past concerns about judicial decisions impacting public policy.
- The Court of Appeal is currently handling 14,300 pending cases.
- The President announced plans to appoint 60 new High Court judges by March 2026 and recruit 168 new resident magistrates.
- The Judiciary's budget increased from Sh18.8 billion in 2023/24 to Sh26.9 billion in the current financial year.
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President Ruto Swears in 15 Judges, Addresses Judiciary on Court Orders and Policy - January 2026
On Wednesday, January 28, President William Ruto presided over the swearing-in of fifteen new appellate judges at State House, Nairobi, to address a severe shortage in the Court of Appeal. During the ceremony, President Ruto affirmed his administration's commitment to upholding the rule of law and vowed never to defy court orders. However, he also publicly criticized the Kenyan Judiciary in front of Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing judges of blocking key government projects and impeding his administration’s mandate. President Ruto also announced his intention to seek a court interpretation on the legal standing of political party manifestos in government policy implementation. This move aims to clarify how an electoral manifesto can guide policy when facing legal challenges.
