"Mimi sio rika yako," CJ Maraga tells President Uhuru

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Chief Justice David Maraga has called on all arms of the government to have mutual respect for each other.

Speaking during the presentation of the state of Judiciary and Administration in 2018/19, Maraga was clarifying on the issue of his lamentations towards the government over Judiciary budget cuts that have continued to affect the operations of the Judiciary. "I cannot attempt to stand and ridicule the President. He is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces. You play from a senior league and I respect your authority. I run an institution which is like a hospital. We are trying our best but the budget cuts have brought judiciary to a halt."

The CJ talked of the frustration that some government officials have shown towards him despite calls to rescue the Judiciary. "I make calls and they're not responded to. We are stuck," he added.

He has pointed out how the budget cuts have affected  the human resource leading to a huge backlog of court cases. He asked the government to release enough funds to  build on the court infrastructure as well as maintain the integrity of the court through digitization of court proceedings.

President Uhuru Kenyatta who officiated over the function said that the government will do its best to support the Judiciary in ensuring access to Justice. He also reiterated that the Judiciary must take austerity measures and operate within its means.

On the ongoing corruption cases, the CJ noted that the Judiciary is under pressure from the public and said that some cases are nearing conclusion and that Kenyans will see convictions soon.